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November 20, 2009
Backlog of Flight Delays After Computer Problems

By MATTHEW L. WALD
WASHINGTON — A failure early Thursday morning of a system that feeds flight plans to air traffic controllers snarled thousands of flights in the eastern United States. By mid-morning the system was working again, but the backlog caused wide airport delays.
The same system failed in August 2008, but it was not clear if the cause was the same this time. The system, the National Airspace Data Interchange Network, situated in Atlanta with a backup in Salt Lake City, was a casualty of another failure in the tightly linked, one official at the Federal Aviation Administration said. Technicians were still trying to determine the cause of the glitch.
The result was clear, however.
Flight plans typically consist of hundreds of alpha-numeric characters, giving the flight number, the type of equipment, the place of takeoff, and various intermediate points, with altitudes. Controllers were entering them on keyboards, not quite hunt-and-peck but not nearly as fast as a computer would transfer the data.
When that system failed, it took another with it, the one that sorts through "notices to airmen," or F.A.A. alerts about short-lived problems, like equipment failures or runway closing, and delivers them to pilots for whom they would be relevant.
At mid-morning, the F.A.A.'s on-line status board was showing the problem limited to the northeast, plus O'Hare. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association was predicting, "it may take many hours for the system to catch up."
The union added, "Airport efficiency is being cut by at least half in places like New York-JFK."
Airlines reported problems in other areas as well. Around the country, planeloads of passengers heard pilots blame the air traffic system, as they sat on the tarmac.
AirTran Airways, based in Orlando, Fla., quickly announced that passengers with tickets for Thursday could re-book without charge, as is commonly done in storms.
The F.A.A.'s data processing system has a variety of problems. While it was hailed as a marvel when new, much of it is written in obsolete computer language and the agency has been slow to provide updates. And with a requirement for perfect round-the-clock performance, parts of the system have crashed while technicians tried to install upgrades, like uninterruptable power supplies, or software fixes.
The F.A.A. did not immediately make clear what had gone wrong on Thursday morning.
 
if you had to decide between jefferson and UF (which is what you will have to do), which one would you go to?
 
if you had to decide between jefferson and UF (which is what you will have to do), which one would you go to?

I went to UF for a semester of undergrad and hated it. HATED it. I know the med school is different, but we'll see how things go during my interview. Plus I think I like FSU more than them so it may be a moot point.

I've heard really good things about Jefferson, so I'm really excited about learning more about it. If I get in it may lead to a hard decision.
 
NYMC and UF

So that Wednesday I'm in Philly, that weekend (until Monday) I'm in New York, the next weekend (starting Thursday) I'm in Florida.

Nice. Got friends in New York you get to see?

if you had to decide between jefferson and UF (which is what you will have to do), which one would you go to?

Are Jefferson and NYMC not on par?
 
well, i was thinking IS tuition for UF (good school) and then Jefferson. i dont know much about nymc
 
well, i was thinking IS tuition for UF (good school) and then Jefferson. i dont know much about nymc

Yeah. We'll see how it goes. The positive to UF is that I'd stay there all 4 years instead of the 2 years at a regional thing FSU does. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about that.

why are you going to NYC?

I have an NYMC interview Monday 1/11, so I'm taking it as an opportunity to go to the city the weekend before
 
He says he will but never does. I found him on craigslist. Oh yeah, don't go to craiglist to find roommates, people. One of the worst decisions I ever made.

I lived with a dude from craigslist this summer that my roommate sublet for. He was a f'n slob, didn't have a job and literally just took up space. Also, he paid everything in cash, even rent. Sketch.

how about... i'll eat some chicken if you don't get into a WL school.

Are you veg? Dangerous....

johns hop-can'ts.

okay, that one sucked. i like *****-town though.

Atleast you know.

hopefully, MexicanDr doesn't see that and take it the wrong way

:laugh::laugh::laugh: referring to sam's avatar

I don't need those guys; I'm in first place in assists every week already. I need some guys who can get blocks. I'll take a closer look later.



Dammit. That's not what I was going for.

I have blocks everywhere... take a look, let's trade. i'm trying to switch it up.
 
Yeah. We'll see how it goes. The positive to UF is that I'd stay there all 4 years instead of the 2 years at a regional thing FSU does. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about that.



I have an NYMC interview Monday 1/11, so I'm taking it as an opportunity to go to the city the weekend before

About do this, in like 15... gonna be a good weekend 🙂
 
Thanks! How did you negotiate the avatar change?

It's a step up from peyton. (suckton)
 
Everything is a step up from Prickton.

I'm not sure. Spursy loves me 😛

lol

well i'm out... maybe i'll say hi from the city but i'm leaving the comp at home. this is a true test of my addiction lol.

bye peeps! 🙂
 
Ruining things is what I do. If you like, I can give you the David Cook avatar.

See, I know you're just saying that to get a rise out of me, so I'm not going to bite.


But if I WERE to bite, I would tell you how much of a jerk that would make you. Don't talk about my future husband like that.
 
Everybody's getting burned by Baylor right now. They're being douches and not taking anybody. I hate their system.

I would bash more, but they're my top choice and one of the last hopes to leave my state. :laugh:

Ha nice. Way to get me to fight for you 😛

See, I know you're just saying that to get a rise out of me, so I'm not going to bite.


But if I WERE to bite, I would tell you how much of a jerk that would make you. Don't talk about my future husband like that.

Damn. Am I that predictable?
 
I really don't like LSU's options for lunch on campus. I would prefer something not McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, or crappy Papa Johns.

Oh man I love Chick-fil-a! It was never anything special when I lived in Florida, but now that I'm in Boston where it does not exist, I love it.
 
Are you veg? Dangerous....

i am indeed veg. that's how much confidence i have in my boy brooklyn.

enjoy the city! i'll be in new jersey for a family friend's bat mitzvah... i'm actually leaving just because you're coming. you smell so bad i had to get away to the next state.
 
i am indeed veg. that's how much confidence i have in my boy brooklyn.

enjoy the city! i'll be in new jersey for a family friend's bat mitzvah... i'm actually leaving just because you're coming. you smell so bad i had to get away to the next state.

Jersey isn't exactly the place to go for better smells
 
Jersey isn't exactly the place to go for better smells

hahahahaha

my brother calls it the armpit of america

although its actual nickname is the garden state. and i find north jersey to be pretty okay.
 
Oh man I love Chick-fil-a! It was never anything special when I lived in Florida, but now that I'm in Boston where it does not exist, I love it.

I love it, too - I just want more options. I'll probably end up with Chick-fil-a. Everything's just so damn expensive on campus.

I don't even think the McDonald's here has a dollar menu. 😱
 
I really don't like LSU's options for lunch on campus. I would prefer something not McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, or crappy Papa Johns.

Oh man you guys have Papa Johns as your pizza option? Win.

Oh man I love Chick-fil-a! It was never anything special when I lived in Florida, but now that I'm in Boston where it does not exist, I love it.

I've been craving it for a while... I don't remember them being amazing but I kinda want chicken nuggets w/ dipping sauces.

Jersey isn't exactly the place to go for better smells

:laugh:

hahahahaha

my brother calls it the armpit of america

although its actual nickname is the garden state. and i find north jersey to be pretty okay.

I'm pretty sure lots of people call it that.
 
Oh man you guys have Papa Johns as your pizza option? Win.

It used to be Pizza Hut, which has the best breadsticks and pan pizzas. Plus, they had a buffalo chicken pizza that was amazing.

I hate Papa Johns, their cheese is funky - but the pan pizzas are better than the real thing.
 
It used to be Pizza Hut, which has the best breadsticks and pan pizzas. Plus, they had a buffalo chicken pizza that was amazing.

I hate Papa Johns, their cheese is funky - but the pan pizzas are better than the real thing.

Do they have the garlic dipping sauce? That, for me, is what PJ's is all about.
 
Wow, you guys have been going at it since pretty early. Four pages since and it's only 10.

Hi, BTW.

dude, it's 1:15. east coast time = real time.

question: do you guys look at this thread and say "two thousand fourteen" or "twenty fourteen?" personally i HATE twenty XX because it sounds dumb. two thousand and change for the win.
 
dude, it's 1:15. east coast time = real time.

question: do you guys look at this thread and say "two thousand fourteen" or "twenty fourteen?" personally i HATE twenty XX because it sounds dumb. two thousand and change for the win.

Twenty fourteen. Less syllables ftw.
 
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