BOSTON - Delays Caused by Radio Problems at Logan

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Title: Delays Caused by Radio Problems at Logan Airport

Story Filed: Tuesday, May 16, 2000 1:22 PM EST

MAY 16, 2000, M2 Communications - Radio frequency problems at Boston's Logan Airport caused 15-minute delays on Tuesday 16 May and forced air traffic controllers to use backup handheld radios to communicate with pilots.

Radio frequencies were apparently lost at 0502 (local time) said Feral Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Salac and incoming traffic was reduced from 30 flights per hour to 20.

It is the third time in two months that delays have been caused by equipment failure at the Boston airport.

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http://library.northernlight.com/FC20000516330000159.html?cb=200&dx=2006&sc=0#doc

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-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), May 16, 2000

Answers

Latest Logan airport snafu blamed on faulty radio gear by Doug Hanchett Wednesday, May 17, 2000

The radio equipment in Logan Airport's control tower went on the fritz early yesterday, but the switch to a backup system caused only minor delays for inbound flights, according to airport authorities.

``I haven't heard of a delay over 15 minutes,'' said Massport spokesman Phil Orlandella. ``If there was, I'll eat my heart.''

The Federal Aviation Administration said communications equipment in the tower - which allows air-traffic controllers to talk with pilots when planes are within two miles of the airport - began acting up at 5:02 a.m. Initially the tower switched from its usual six radio frequencies to a pair of hand-held transmitters, but about 9:30 a.m. the FAA rerouted the six frequencies to a backup ``bypass'' system.

Arlene Salac, a spokeswoman for the FAA, said communications experts on this morning's graveyard shift would try to pinpoint the source of the glitch and make corrections. ``I have no reason to suspect that we wouldn't be able to do the troubleshooting and find the problem (quickly),'' she said.

Even if they can't get it fixed right away, the use of the bypass system shouldn't cause any delays today, Salac said.

Salac said the radio equipment was installed at Logan in December 1985. ``For this type of system, that's not considered old,'' Salac said.

The radio glitch, however minor, marked the third time in three weeks that flights have been delayed or canceled at Logan because of technical problems. Last week a faulty piece of computer hardware caused radar problems, which led to delays.

Two weeks prior, the flight schedules were disrupted when the radar system's antenna - which was supposed to be able to withstand hurricane-force winds - blew over in a windstorm. Orlandella said yesterday's radio difficulties were unrelated to those snafus.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_regional/loga05172000.htm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), May 17, 2000.


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