FAA computer problem causes widespread delays

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

If you are traveling by air today you may have a rough time going anywhere. The FAA said, flight plans are having to be inputted manually because of a malfunction with the automated system.

An AirTran Airways spokesman said there's no danger to flights in the air, and flights are still taking off and landing.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091119/ap_on_...s_flight_delays

[dnoblett]

Airtrafic control is where the .GOV should be spending some tax dollars, the system is 60's and 70's technology.

 

The modern GPS tech that is available today, the system should be modernized so that the aircraft transponders report the aircraft position in 3 dimensions using GPS, and ground control would use the data sent to them from the transponders to route aircraft and avoid accidents automatically.

[TLB]

If you are traveling by air today you may have a rough time going anywhere. The FAA said, flight plans are having to be inputted manually because of a malfunction with the automated system.

An AirTran Airways spokesman said there's no danger to flights in the air, and flights are still taking off and landing.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091119/ap_on_...s_flight_delays

 

I'm in software development, and I love the explanation at the bottom of this story; it was not a "bug" nor programmer error, but rather "database mismatch" -- I think I'll start using that line with my clients...