FAA History Lesson -- July 13

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

”Jul 13, 1977: FAA gave uninterrupted air traffic control service during a massive electric power failure that left approximately 9 million people in the New York City area without electricity for periods ranging from 5 to 25 hours. The uninterrupted service was possible because of the continuous power airport program that FAA had begun after an earlier massive blackout, in 1965, initially selecting 50 key airports to be equipped with standby engine generators. (See Sep 19, 1974.) ”

Being stuck on an elevator is one thing. Being stuck on an airplane with no place to land is quite another.

Don Brown
July 13, 2007