Aimed At Cutting Down IFR Delays

There will soon be brighter lights in the big city. The FAA has approved a new upgrade package for two runways at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport aimed at increasing the number of landings during inclement weather.

"Any kind of improvement will help at O'Hare," said FAA spokesman Tony Molinaro.

In VFR conditions, O'Hare can handle about 100 arrivals each hour. When the weather closes in, that number drops to about 70.

The upgrades enable Category II and Category III approaches -- used in the worst of weather to automate at least part of the landing cycle and thereby take some of the pressure of a cockpit crew. WHile O'Hare has had Cat II and Cat III approaches on Runways 9L and 9R, aircraft arriving from the other direction have been forced to go all the way around to get in line for landing. The new ILS systems will be installed on 27L and 27R.

"This (interim) upgrade will allow aircraft coming in from the east to land in the worst weather," said Chicago Department of Aviation spokeswoman Annette Martinez. "Now when the weather is bad, they have to circle around and wait in a long stream of planes landing on our other runways that already have the equipment."

While it's the city that's installing the new gear and the FAA that's approving it, it's the airlines that will benefit the most. Officials say, by the time the upgrade is complete in 2005, airlines will be able to save $38 million every year.

FMI: www.ohare.com