FAA History Lesson -- December 15

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

”Dec 15, 1962: FAA authorized simultaneous instrument approaches and landings on parallel runways at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to relieve traffic backup during peak-activity periods. The agency approved this air traffic control innovation only after extensive testing under both simulated and actual conditions. Participating pilots had to operate under instrument flight rules, regardless of weather. They were radar vectored by the tower's approach controllers from four outer fixes to one of the two final approach ILS courses. “

This improvement in capacity lasted less than 7 years.

”Jun 1, 1969: In response to growing congestion, FAA implemented a rule placing quotas on instrument flight rule (IFR) operations at five of the nation's busiest airports between 6 a.m. and midnight. The rule assigned the following hourly quotas:

Kennedy International, 80 ...

O'Hare, 135...

La Guardia, 60..........

Newark, 60

Washington National, 60 ...

Don Brown
December 15, 2007