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Hundreds of flights cancelled at O'Hare, dozens at Midway as FAA struggles to fix fire damage
Chicago Tribune ^ | September 28, 2014 | Lisa Black

Posted on 09/28/2014 7:30:28 AM PDT by John W

As of 7:30 a.m. Sunday, O'Hare International Airport had cancelled more than 530 flights and anticipates delays throughout the day as officials try to return flight traffic to normal after a fire Friday at the FAA's radar facility.

The fire at the agency's Aurora radar facility wreaked havoc on the nation's air travel system and is also behind at least 50 flights were cancelled at Midway Airport, with an average 40 minute delay for incoming and outbound flights, according to the Chicago Avaition Department.

The FAA said Saturday that technicians were working to complete a “damage assessment and timeline for restoration of services” at the facility. Officials didn't say when it would return to full service.

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Illinois
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To: Carl Vehse

Or the FBI prior to 9/11.

I’ve often wondered what happened to the FBI supervisor who didn’t pursue investigating the 9/11 muslim who a field agent suspected of questionable activity. (learning flying only, not landing)

I’ll bet he is either retired now or in a cushy position higher up the ladder.


21 posted on 09/28/2014 8:30:10 AM PDT by Joan Kerrey (The larger the government, the smaller the people)
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To: John W

They've definitely changed the routing into ORD, normally the skies overhead are filled with contrails from high-altitude traffic going into Chicago(here in mid-Michigan). Now empty skies, and very little(audio)scanner traffic on 133.87.

22 posted on 09/28/2014 8:47:14 AM PDT by RckyRaCoCo (Shall Not Be Infringed)
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To: SkyDancer; Lion Den Dan

The person who did this is supposedly in the hospital with serious burns and stab wounds (he tried to stab or slash himself to death when he realized that the plan, probably suicide, hadn’t gone correctly).

Curiously, no name has been mentioned. He was a contract employee, didn’t have security clearance, but according to some people here, that’s not necessary for contract employees. Huh?


23 posted on 09/28/2014 8:53:36 AM PDT by livius
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To: SkyDancer; Lion Den Dan; Vinnie

Ooops, I see they did release a name. However, no other information. Interestingly, in the case of the OK beheading, the guy had a “normal” name, but went by his Islamic name...never mentioned except glancingly in some reports. His most recent photo also showed him in ME dress with a Muslim style beard, but the one that was shown in the press was from years ago, when he just looked like an average thug.

It will be interesting to learn more about Howard, because I think we have a serious weakness at our airports.


24 posted on 09/28/2014 8:57:41 AM PDT by livius
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To: oh8eleven
how is it just one employee could do so much damage? The security sounds like it's on par with the security provided by the SS at the WH.

Good thing the TSA-thugs were there to protect us from grandmas with knitting needles.

25 posted on 09/28/2014 9:06:55 AM PDT by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate "Republicans Freed the Slaves" Month.)
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To: livius
Curiously, no name has been mentioned.

From the article:


26 posted on 09/28/2014 9:08:53 AM PDT by upchuck (It's a shame nobama truly doesn't care about any of this. Our country, our future, he doesn't care.)
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To: Joan Kerrey
I’ve often wondered what happened to the FBI supervisor who didn’t pursue investigating the 9/11 muslim

The FBI Director lineup prior to 9/11:

September 4, 2001 – September 4, 2013, Robert Mueller
June 25, 2001 – September 4, 2001, Thomas J. Pickard, Acting
September 1, 1993 – June 25, 2001, Louis Freeh

Excerpted from Wikipedia on the post-9/11 career of Freeh since then:

- In September 2001, Freeh was appointed to the board of directors of credit card issuer MBNA.
- Beginning in 2004 Freeh began moonlighting as an adjunct law professor for Widener University School of Law.
- In 2007, Freeh formed Freeh Group International Solutions, a consulting and investigative firm.
- In 2009, Louis Freeh was hired by Saudi Arabian Prince Bandar bin Sultan as his legal representative on issues surrounding the Al-Yamamah arms deal.
- In late May 2011, Freeh was retained as an independent investigator by the Ethics Committee of FIFA in the bribery scandal centering on Mohammed bin Hammam and Jack Warner. However, the Court of Arbitration of Sports subsequently rejected Freeh's report as consisting of little more than speculation.
- In November 2011, Pennsylvania State University announced that Freeh would lead an internal investigation into the Penn State child sex abuse scandal. Also in November, 2011, Freeh was named trustee for the MF Global bankruptcy case, the largest Wall Street bankruptcy since Lehman Brothers' in September 2008.
- On February 5, 2013 Freeh was named Chair of the law firm Pepper Hamilton LLP.
- In the early afternoon of August 25, 2014 Freeh was found unconscious on Route 12 in Barnard in eastern Vermont in a crashed 2010 GMC Yukon apparently having struck a mailbox, a row of shrubs and a tree before coming to a stop. He was flown by helicopter to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center having suffered a broken leg and in serious condition. Freeh claims no memory of the crash, which occurred in the early afternoon, nor did he recall leaving his house, going down the driveway, or driving to Woodstock that morning.

27 posted on 09/28/2014 9:15:39 AM PDT by Carl Vehse
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To: Lion Den Dan
We are not hearing much about this over here in North Dakota.

I haven't seen this mentioned on the national news at all.....

28 posted on 09/28/2014 9:19:43 AM PDT by Envisioning (My desire to be well informed is at odds with my desire to remain sane....)
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To: Pearls Before Swine

I know it’s a bit knee-jerk, but these days, my gut reaction (just gut reaction mind you, upon which I do not base action or thoughtful opinion) is that when there’s no description of a perp in the media, it’s anything but a white male. That’s the playbook they (the MSM) go by.


29 posted on 09/28/2014 9:27:05 AM PDT by mrsmel (One Who Can See)
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To: upchuck

Yes, I corrected my post above. I had missed the name since the reporting on this has been pretty scanty.

I’d like to know more about him. But if he’s in the protected class, his FB page is probably down now and every detail of his life (unless he happened to be a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, highly unlikely, since their collective IQ would probably not be enough to qualify for a tech job) has probably vanished.


30 posted on 09/28/2014 9:35:02 AM PDT by livius
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To: Carl Vehse

Very, very strange.


31 posted on 09/28/2014 9:36:12 AM PDT by livius
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To: John W

I do feel a little empathy for the Engineers and Technicians that have to rebuild that facility. Working on yesterdays clock is a bitch.


32 posted on 09/28/2014 9:48:20 AM PDT by eyedigress (e(!zOld storm chaser from the west)/?s)
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To: oh8eleven
The security sounds like it's on par with the security provided by the SS at the WH.

Missing the point: "WE" get anal-probed...the airport workers don't. Anyone with an employee/worker pass has access to secure areas, the security of which (the 'ramp') has been questioned since 9/11 with little change.

Despite the 2001 Aviation and Transportation Security Act, it took 6 years and the Orlando baggage-handler plot in 2007 to bring about the serious discussion of screening airport workers and 'ramp security'.

An airport is a large place with limited employees in secure (non-public) areas. Managing these bodies shouldn't be difficult in this environment.

In the case of the FAA fire, the employee was given a transfer, was seen hauling a wheeled suitcase into his basement work area and no one challenged him. Breach of basic security rules 101: Possible disgruntled employee (transfer) and suitcase brought into secure work area without inspection. Btw, Brian Howard was a contract employee working as a 'field technician' with Harris Corporation...unscreened as he went to work in a secure area. Ironically working to modernize the facility.

Fwiw:
Brian William Howard
1307 Ivy Ln Apt 201
Naperville, IL 60563-0498

Without regard to the FAA facility not being at O'hare, it's clear the focus needs to be on the security - rather, lack thereof - being provided to employees, of both the ramp and critical infrastructure. The FAA facility is a 'secure facility' serving civil transportation. Which goes right back to the larger question of 'ramp security'...which is almost cliche after 13 years of debate/discussion/laws/regulations/inaction...but we're supposed to 'think' we're safe because of all the intrusions upon passengers and efforts to control the populace nationwide.

33 posted on 09/28/2014 10:44:10 AM PDT by logi_cal869
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To: SkyDancer

As of today they are reporting that the perp was fired from his contract job.

Gee . . . Take out an ATC Center, cause the ATC System to crash, shut down both major airports for a “major” city, and get fired a day and a half later.

DUH!


34 posted on 09/28/2014 2:26:59 PM PDT by Petruchio (Democrats are like Slinkies... Not good for anything, but it's fun pushing 'em down the stairs.)
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To: Petruchio

And he says “you mad?”


35 posted on 09/28/2014 2:48:25 PM PDT by SkyDancer (I Was Told Nobody Is Perfect But Yet, Here I Am)
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To: eyedigress

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Sunday that it has set a target of October 13 to restore to service a Chicago-area air traffic control site that was set ablaze by a field technician, as delays and cancellations continued at Chicago airports.


36 posted on 09/29/2014 7:15:32 AM PDT by John W (Autumn of Recovery VI: This Time We're Serious)
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To: John W
a target date of October 13

That's another two weeks! Assuming there's a (even slightly) elevated risk of accident, for it to go on that long seems to be risky, I'd think.

Is it an example that the gov will never do something dramatic when the situation demands it? Like landing planes at Air Force facilities nearby?...or something to assure safety.

37 posted on 09/29/2014 7:26:22 AM PDT by grania
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To: John W

Well, that certainly sucks ass. I work in very confidential areas and the trust given to me is highly valued.

Put that worm in jail for a few years and lets see how many more fires he sets in trusted areas. I loathe people entrusted with equipment that the rest depend on.

I would have NO mercy on the sentencing.


38 posted on 09/29/2014 11:07:56 AM PDT by eyedigress (e(!zOld storm chaser from the west)/?s)
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To: SkyDancer
Trillions dollars of national debt and no backup system. FUBAR
39 posted on 09/29/2014 11:11:03 AM PDT by Chgogal (Obama "hung the SEALs out to dry, basically exposed them like a set of dog balls..." CMH)
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I loathe people entrusted with equipment AND DESTROY IT that the rest depend on.
40 posted on 09/29/2014 11:11:42 AM PDT by eyedigress (e(!zOld storm chaser from the west)/?s)
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