(Chicago Tribune) Federal inspectors found numerous violations at O’Hare International Airport that endanger airplanes at the most critical phases of flight — takeoffs and landings, officials said Wednesday.
A warning notice from the FAA to Chicago said the inspections show that O’Hare is seriously out of compliance with federal aviation law. The notice, called a “letter of correction,” also chastised the Chicago Department of Aviation for what the federal agency called a pattern of false statements in its self-inspection program.
“The daily self-inspection records do not reflect actual conditions in the field, violations have not been noted on the self-inspection records that are evident in the field,” said the FAA letter, which was obtained by the Tribune.
The problems at O’Hare the FAA cited in its warning notice are considered major violations — not just housekeeping issues — because airfields are supposed to be sterile environments free of debris and other hazards that could interfere with flights.
During an inspection of O’Hare’s newest runway that opened last year, the FAA found rocks and construction debris in the safety areas at the ends of the runway, on the airport’s northern sector. It is important that safety areas be maintained as pristinely as runways because they are used in emergencies when planes overrun the runway during landing or must abort a takeoff and need additional pavement to stop safely.
Inspectors also identified “potentially hazardous ruts, humps (and) depressions” on the surface of the new pavement in the safety areas of the runway. The FAA inspectors uncovered similar problems on O’Hare’s longest runway that serves the largest commercial planes carrying hundreds of passengers.
Chicago Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie Andolino was out of town Wednesday and unavailable for comment, Pride said.
Andolino took over responsibility for O’Hare and Midway Airport this year when Mayor Richard Daley promoted her to a dual city aviation post. Andolino, 42, already served as director since 2003 of the O’Hare Modernization Program, a $15 billion runway expansion project.
But the findings in the new FAA inspections raise doubts about the ability of Andolino and her department heads to provide sufficient oversight on daily maintenance issues and operations at O’Hare, officials said.
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Girltalk 24/7: I love you Chicago, but safety is FIRST. O’hare being the 2nd largest airport in the US attracts flyers from all over the country and world. O’hare needs to really clean up their act before they get sued! I fly at least twice a year and I’m normally optimistic about flying, but now…. hmm, being from Chicago, I think I feel a little more comfortable flying out of Midway. Plus, I love flying Southwest which only flys out of Midway (in Chicago). I really hope their next FAA report shows significant improvement.
