It isn’t the best picture in the world, but you can faintly see the newly installed Christmas lights around the base of the catwalk. The camera I’m using doesn’t take very good night-pictures, so it is a little blurry. They definitely look a lot better in person.

It is so cold right now, the icicles style lights are not dangling. The wires are stiff and seem to be frozen. Hopefully if the temperature warms up, I’ll be able to readjust them and get them to hang down a little bit more.

If you happen to be flying by, or even driving by, post a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks for checking in.

My friend Amy Slayton from Austin, Texas, watched My Extra 300 Flight on a previous post and sent me an interesting video to check out. The subject of the video has to do with a old technique called “Stall Chucking”.

In this video, the girl in the back seat demonstrated it very well. Her purpose was to simply promote a smooth ride and prevent stalling during flight. It doesn’t seem like a maneuver that would be very hard to do, however, performing it too often could shorten a flight… and your list of friends.

click here to see video

OK, maybe I should have called it Up-Chucking…LOL!!

Snow causes delays in almost every facet pertaining to time…unless you are Clark W. Griswold, sledding down a snow-covered hill in the movie, “National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.”  In that case, snow helps. It obviously causes delays in the National Airspace System, but more importantly, it is holding up my holiday tower lighting display.

I went to Target today and bought the lights I thought would have the best visual effect for the tower. I figured it would be difficult to see one tiny little string of lights from afar, so I bought some colorful strings of icicle lights that would cover a broader area and be more visibly pleasing to the eye.

I’m excited and can’t wait to get started. If the snow slows down, it will probably happen in the next couple of days.

Being new to website building and finally having an internet presence, I find myself paying a whole lot more attention to not only the content of individual websites, but also to the layout and design. It’s obvious right away when a web page is appealing and user friendly. Those are the ones I find myself returning to more than others. My website is definitely simple and capable of tons of expansion. I will continue to research and try my best to add features that will attract and fascinate my readers.

Our airport, formerly known as Palwaukee Municipal Airport, had a website I used to rarely visit. In my opinion, it never seemed to be very helpful or interesting. The ho-hum facade, although creative, lacked a professional touch.

The air traffic control tower received a fax the other day, referencing a new informational feature provided on Chicago Executive Airport’s new website. I decided to check it out and…

WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT! The overall site is so much cooler and the recent addition to the page was an “Air Field Condition Reports” link. Kudos! Everything seems to be very well done.

Click the airport logo above and see for yourself.

Daily operations at the Chicago Executive Tower (PWK) are never the same, meaning there is always something different to keep our attention peaked and on our toes. There are days when air traffic controllers must work their hardest using their working-speed skills to keep the volume of aircraft safe while preventing too many delays. While safety is always priority, there are days when due to IFR weather conditions, delays aren’t as big of an issue and safety is our only concern. Then there are days like yesterday when we have a mixture of experiences.

It started out like this…

When the atmosphere offers these conditions and obstacles, controllers are unable to use visual separation rules for IFR arrivals and departures. For example, when we use the Palwaukee 2 departures off runway 16, we can’t just depart aircraft into the cloudy-snow-soup and visually ensure separation from the previous departures or traffic on the ILS…therefore, other separation rules, techniques, and procedures must be applied. That’s how it goes. Our controllers understand that our operations can change at any moment and are always prepared.

This flight, of course, was better than any roller coaster or thrill ride you could ever imagine. Richard Klein, CEO of Klein Tools at the time, gave me an opportunity to experience something I will remember for the rest of my life.

There was a feeling from the beginning of excitement and adventure, even before getting in the little two-seater. I definitely felt like a risk-taker when Richard and I, donned a parachute prior to climbing in. Walking up to the sporty tail dragger with its colorful looking paint job and its “look-at-me” decals, made me feel like I was just about to take part in an airshow. I’ve seen Richard fly from a spectators view and I knew I was in good hands.

click here to see video

The flight was only about half an hour long, but we clearly covered a lot of ground. We did a mixture of different loops and rolls as you can see in the video. I’d have to admit that the exposure to all of those g-forces made me feel a little green towards the end. It’s funny seeing myself make some of the dorkiest looking facial expressions during some of the maneuvers. I just couldn’t help it. I greyed-out during one of turns as the blood was drawn out of my head and toward my feet.

As Matthew Broderick said in the movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, “It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.”

Maybe some of you have noticed that our Position and Hold (TIPH) procedures have changed this year, or maybe you just think we are weird.

The changes to these procedures affect when we are able to use TIPH. The changes also affect how and when we issue traffic advisories for aircraft holding in position on the runway. If you are holding short of the runway and wondering why you and your aircraft have not been put into Position and Hold, especially when it would seem to be most beneficial for effective traffic flow, it could be for a couple reasons.

We are unable use TIPH when:

1. The tower freq. is combined with any other freq., or

2. The tower controller is also Controller-In-Charge, or

3. An aircraft has been cleared for: a full stop, touch-and-go, stop-and-go, option, or unrestricted low approach for the same runway. Additionally, we are unable to clear an aircraft for a full stop, touch-and-go, etc., while an aircraft is holding in position on the same runway.

When we are able to use TIPH, we must inform the aircraft, authorized to Position and Hold, of the closest traffic requesting/assigned the same runway…even if the inbound aircraft that we are talking to is 15 miles out.

A single runway operation is not as involved and demanding as a crossing runway operation. When we start using crossing runways, the phraseology and traffic advisories are mandatory and multiplied.

The timing of this was great! It seems a little dated, but entertaining non the less.

click here to see video

This isn’t the first I’ve heard of this stunt. When I was at the FAA Academy, an instructor told us about a similar incident he was involved in. The scenario he described was an argument on the tower cat-walk (with a dummy of course), simulating a struggle that was loud enough to draw attention from below. Obviously the climax of the incident was the victim being thrown over the railing. I guess it really freaked out the unsuspecting onlookers and created a similar disturbance. We would never condone this type of behavior and our tower controllers would never do this. It’s not original enough!

This holiday season, I plan on putting some colorful lighting somewhere on the tower. I’ve done this in the past and it undeniably increases moral and promotes holiday cheer to both our employees and our flying visitors. The Christmas lights I’ve used in the previous years have been given their last rights, so I must invest in some new ones. We’ll see how it all turns out.

Thank you for all the positive feedback I’ve been receiving. I want to reach as many people as I can, and it seems to be working. I’m getting more traffic each day, and with the help of my friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances, I couldn’t be happier. Thanks again and keep checking back with me on this website…I know you will not be disappointed.

The sunset tonight was an awesome sight from the tower. It looked like the horizon was on fire. Did anyone else happen to catch that? I only wish I had my camera with me. I need to make it a point to keep a camera with me at all times to avoid missed opportunities such as this one. After working in the same air traffic control tower and seeing the same things everyday, we take for granted the view we are all so lucky to have. Some people have to work in a carpeted-wall-cubical and only have a view of the cubical next to them. We don’t work in the tallest skyscraper, but we sure have a fantastic view from our office we call a tower-cab.

I’m originally from south Florida, and the seasonal changes we used to see down there were minimal. The forest preserve to the east of the tower is a definite indicator of the time of year. Right now, as the eastern horizon morphs and the trees become bare, Mother Nature seems to be representing the midwest well.