Chicago Aviation Symposium (hosted by Chicago NATCA BTG), June 6, 2015

MarkZ

MarkZ

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On June 6, 2015, the Chicago NATCA Bridge-the-Gap (BTG) air traffic controllers will host an aviation symposium at Lewis University (LOT). This will be an FAA WINGS event, so prior registered participants receive WINGS credit for attendance.

For those who have had questions on why Chicago controllers do the things we do, and who wonder what may be happening on the other side of the frequency, this is your event. There will be several sessions discussing ORD and MDW operations, as well as several sessions discussing GA operations. This includes VFR operations.

What better way to put a name with a face, and get fed in the process? Oh, did I forget to mention? We will be catering food to the event for those that attend. What more could you want? You get to fly to a WINGS event, you get to meet some controllers, you get to leave (hopefully) not hungry, and you may learn something new.

To get an accurate count of who will attend, we ask that you register online. Here's the website.

http://chicagoaviationsymposium.com/

I hope to finally meet a few of you there.
 
There was an issue with the registration, we have fixed it. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!
 
Bump.

This Saturday is the symposium. Breakfast and lunch will be catered. There will be signage at the LOT ramp to the classrooms.
 
It sounds very interesting, and I'd like to go but I have to be involved in some ground ops training for our CAF wing.
 
If I sign up, I wonder what the chances of getting FF/B clearance on the way there is. :rofl:
 
It will be nice to meet everyone. EdFred - you going to be there?

Mark, I flew through your sector last week but you had already left for the day. Hopefully they relayed the hello!

-Andrew
 
Oh, the irony of an aviation symposium being held in the least GA friendly city in the nation... I'm sure the Friends of Meigs Field are thrilled.

:mad2:
 
Jay Honeck said:
Oh, the irony of an aviation symposium being held in the least GA friendly city in the nation... I'm sure the Friends of Meigs Field are thrilled.

:mad2:
Click to expand...

Meigs was Mayor Daley who historically hated the airport and wanted to turn it into a park for his wife. It was all his doing. Had nothing to do with anyone involved in aviation in Chicago.

I've been flying up here for 8 years and have never had anything other than decent experiences. Getting acclimated to the local airspace can be a little daunting for the rural pilot, but once you understand the lay of the land it's not bad at all.

I've had more challenging experiences in Atlanta and Florida airspaces.
 
ahkahn said:
It will be nice to meet everyone. EdFred - you going to be there?

Mark, I flew through your sector last week but you had already left for the day. Hopefully they relayed the hello!

-Andrew
Click to expand...

Depends if I get instrument current by then or not. Hope to fly 6 + 1 tomorrow night. I would hate to sign up, have the weather not cooperate, and then drive. OK, I wouldn't drive.
 
EdFred said:
Depends if I get instrument current by then or not. Hope to fly 6 + 1 tomorrow night. I would hate to sign up, have the weather not cooperate, and then drive. OK, I wouldn't drive.
Click to expand...

according to the lady who took my registration they are making plans for walk-ins. early forecast is sunny, 70, ne winds @12-13 knots...but it is Chicago. :)
 
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ahkahn said:
Meigs was Mayor Daley who historically hated the airport and wanted to turn it into a park for his wife. It was all his doing. Had nothing to do with anyone involved in aviation in Chicago.

I've been flying up here for 8 years and have never had anything other than decent experiences. Getting acclimated to the local airspace can be a little daunting for the rural pilot, but once you understand the lay of the land it's not bad at all.

I've had more challenging experiences in Atlanta and Florida airspaces.
Click to expand...
Chicago Class B is pretty straightforward. We flew in it all the time, being based in Southeast Wisconsin.

That's not the point. Chicago became off-limits for us, and many pilots just like us, after the Meigs debacle. After a lifetime of visiting Chicago, personally and professionally (I worked for the Chicago Tribune, once upon a time), I swore to never set foot in that god-forsaken GA wasteland again. And I haven't.

Sure, I've only cost them a few tens of thousands of dollars over the years, but it was far more than just "Da Mayor" working to close Meigs (in the middle of the night, on a Sunday, without warning), and I'll be damned if I'm going to give support of any kind to those who were openly hostile to aviation.

Holding an aviation symposium there, of all places, is bitterly ironic.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Chicago Class B is pretty straightforward. We flew in it all the time, being based in Southeast Wisconsin.

That's not the point. Chicago became off-limits for us, and many pilots just like us, after the Meigs debacle. After a lifetime of visiting Chicago, personally and professionally (I worked for the Chicago Tribune, once upon a time), I swore to never set foot in that god-forsaken GA wasteland again. And I haven't.

Sure, I've only cost them a few tens of thousands of dollars over the years, but it was far more than just "Da Mayor" working to close Meigs (in the middle of the night, on a Sunday, without warning), and I'll be damned if I'm going to give support of any kind to those who were openly hostile to aviation.

Holding an aviation symposium there, of all places, is bitterly ironic.
Click to expand...

you are aware that the symposium is not being held in Chicago but in Romeoville, 45-miles SW of Chicago, right?
 
Jay Honeck said:
Chicago Class B is pretty straightforward. We flew in it all the time, being based in Southeast Wisconsin.

That's not the point. Chicago became off-limits for us, and many pilots just like us, after the Meigs debacle. After a lifetime of visiting Chicago, personally and professionally (I worked for the Chicago Tribune, once upon a time), I swore to never set foot in that god-forsaken GA wasteland again. And I haven't.

Sure, I've only cost them a few tens of thousands of dollars over the years, but it was far more than just "Da Mayor" working to close Meigs (in the middle of the night, on a Sunday, without warning), and I'll be damned if I'm going to give support of any kind to those who were openly hostile to aviation.

Holding an aviation symposium there, of all places, is bitterly ironic.
Click to expand...

This post outlines the exact reason why controllers at Chicago facilities felt the need to hold an aviation symposium.
 
rk911 said:
you are aware that the symposium is not being held in Chicago but in Romeoville, 45-miles SW of Chicago, right?
Click to expand...

/\
|| :rofl:


Other than the Meigs destruction -12 years ago-, do you care to elaborate on any other reasons why the Chicago area is a "GA wasteland" or are you just that fried over the Meigs closure? :dunno:
 
rk911 said:
you are aware that the symposium is not being held in Chicago but in Romeoville, 45-miles SW of Chicago, right?
Click to expand...

No, I was NOT aware that the "Chicago Aviation Symposium" was not actually being held in Chicago. :rolleyes:

Tell me -- where should we hold the San Antonio Aviation Symposium? How about, um, Corpus Christi! :lol:
 
ahkahn said:
/\
|| :rofl:


Other than the Meigs destruction -12 years ago-, do you care to elaborate on any other reasons why the Chicago area is a "GA wasteland" or are you just that fried over the Meigs closure? :dunno:
Click to expand...

"Other than the Meigs destruction..."? Wow.

What a question! That's like the House Foreign Affairs committee asking Hillary Clinton "Other than getting our diplomats killed in Benghazi, why should we not vote for you?" :no:

There IS no worse thing to do to GA than closing Meigs Field in the middle of the night on a Sunday! What Chicago did was criminal, and NO ONE paid a price for doing it.

Why? Because it's CHICAGO. Remember -- I used to work for the Tribune? That town is as rotten as they come, and everyone plays piddy-pat protecting each other, from Da Mayor to the local aldermen.

But I guess now that we know that the symposium is being held in the suburbs, it's all good.
 
Jay Honeck said:
"Other than the Meigs destruction..."? Wow.



What a question! That's like the House Foreign Affairs committee asking Hillary Clinton "Other than getting our diplomats killed in Benghazi, why should we not vote for you?" :no:



There IS no worse thing to do to GA than closing Meigs Field in the middle of the night on a Sunday! What Chicago did was criminal, and NO ONE paid a price for doing it.



Why? Because it's CHICAGO. Remember -- I used to work for the Tribune? That town is as rotten as they come, and everyone plays piddy-pat protecting each other, from Da Mayor to the local aldermen.



But I guess now that we know that the symposium is being held in the suburbs, it's all good.
Click to expand...


In the spirit of ensuring the proper information gets out, I'd like to point out that the Chicago ATC aviation symposium holds no affiliation with the City of Chicago or its department of aviation.

Chicago area air traffic controllers are hosting this symposium, sponsored by NATCA and supported by the FAAST and FAA WINGS program. I'm not sure how a Meigs Field discussion plays a role here.
 
Looking forward to meeting everyone today. Weather looks clear and winds reasonable. If you're flying in - have a safe flight!
 
a BIG thanks to all of the personnel from Chicago Center & TRACON, the O'Hare and Midway towers, Lewis University and the DuPage FSDO for putting on a terrific program today at KLOT. and a special thanks to Nicole Sparger from Chicago TRACON for organizing the whole thing. great job!
 
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