Part 4 (1/2)
Thursday, September 3 Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
”DFW, this is Aer Areen Maintain 125, full circle 40 miles then 215 for 40”
”Traffic Dallas?”
”Heavy Weather's been strong On again off again Piled up pretty good”
”Sheers?”
”None so far Ah, you're a '37, you carry a sheer ot it made Have to baby sit soer Dallas 125 40, 215 40 Maintaining 12 point 5”
”Roger 1137”
The control tower at DFW airport was busier than norlowed eerily and made the air traffic controllers appear pallid under the haunting light emitted from around the consoles Severe weather patterns, afternoon Texas thunderstor a planes to hold in a 120 mile pattern over Dallas and Fort Worth
Many of the tower crew had been at their stations for 2 hours past their norhway pileups that had kept shi+ft replace in, late departing, connections were being round and in the air by both the airline personnel and travelers alike It was a chaotic day at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
”Chad? Cest, and least burnt out of the day shi+ft flight controllers
shi+ft supervisor Chad Phillips ca at the radar screen
”See these three bogies?” Paul pointed at three spots with his finger
”Bogies? What are those symbols?”
”They just appeared, out of nowhere I don't think they're there And over here,” he pointed, ”that was Delta 210 It's gone” Paul spoke calmly, in the professionalinstructions
”Mike,” Chad said to the controller seated next to Paul ”Switch and copy 14, please Fast” Chad looked over to Mike's screen and saw the sanostic What was the Delta pattern?”
”Sa a 90 round”
”Tell him to hold, and verify on board transponder” Chad spoke rapidly and his authority wasn't questioned
”Mike, see if we can get any visuals on the bogies They e and, especially in this weather, was concerned with safety first and schedules last In less than a minute he had verified that Delta 210 was not on any screen, three other ghost planes h the airspace, and that their equip properly
”Dallas,” the caletting a little tight up here”
”Roger, 1137,” Gatwick said nervously ”Give me a second here”
”Dallas, what's the problem?”