Astro Traffic Control

by Fred Gay
Answer: ABILENE, EVERETT, TORONTO, OKINAWA

In each script, each airline has two airplanes, one arriving and one departing (e.g., American 313 & 1571). Using the dialogue between the air traffic controller (O'Hare Ground) and each individual flight, one can plot the path each aircraft takes while under the direction of the ground controller. Using the original airport diagram available from the FAA, www.airnav.com, or Wikipedia, you can plot all of the paired routes and discover that each pair has exactly one overlapping leg (more than just crossing), corresponding to one of the taxiways at O'Hare. Comparing this overlapping leg to the modified airport diagram, the overlapping leg then yields either a digit (0-9), a letter (N, S, E, or W), or a modifier (deg or min). Ordering the yield of each airline pair in order of their appearance in the script, one obtains latitude/longitude coordinates (precision to degrees and minutes) for the respective airports for the four locations of the answer words.

Head Quarter:

  1. United Airlines (UA) – B (3)
  2. Northwest Airlines (NW) – A9 (2)
  3. British Airways (BA) – M (deg)
  4. American Eagle (EGF) – A9 (2)
  5. Shuttle America (TCF) – A12 (5)
  6. Chautaqua Airlines (CHQ) – P (min)
  7. Mesa Airlines (ASH) – A7 (N)
  8. GoJet Airlines (GJS) – H (9)
  9. SkyWest Airlines (SKW) – H (9)
  10. Lufthansa (LH) – M (deg)
  11. Trans States Airways (LOF) – T (4)
  12. US Airways (AWE) – A11 (1)
  13. American Airlines (AA) – P (min)
  14. Federal Express (FDX) – K (W)

This produces the GPS address 32°25' N 99°41' W, which is Abilene Regional Airport (KABI) in ABILENE, Texas.

French Quarter:

  1. United Airlines (UA) – T (4)
  2. Northwest Airlines (NW) – D (7)
  3. British Airways (BA) – M (deg)
  4. American Eagle (EGF) – A12 (5)
  5. Shuttle America (TCF) – A12 (5)
  6. Chautaqua Airlines (CHQ) – P (min)
  7. Mesa Airlines (ASH) – A7 (N)
  8. GoJet Airlines (GJS) – A11 (1)
  9. SkyWest Airlines (SKW) – A9 (2)
  10. Lufthansa (LH) – A9 (2)
  11. Trans States Airways (LOF) – M (deg)
  12. US Airways (AWE) – A11 (1)
  13. American Airlines (AA) – D (7)
  14. Federal Express (FDX) – P (min)
  15. ABX Air (ABX) – K (W)

This produces the GPS address 47°55' N 122°17' W, which is Snohomish County/Paine Field (KPAE) in EVERETT, Washington.

Fiscal Quarter:

  1. United Airlines (UA) – T (4)
  2. Northwest Airlines (NW) – B (3)
  3. British Airways (BA) – M (deg)
  4. American Eagle (EGF) – T (4)
  5. Shuttle America (TCF) – A21 (0)
  6. Chautaqua Airlines (CHQ) – P (min)
  7. Mesa Airlines (ASH) – A7 (N)
  8. GoJet Airlines (GJS) – D (7)
  9. SkyWest Airlines (SKW) – H (9)
  10. Lufthansa (LH) – M (deg)
  11. Trans States Airways (LOF) – B (3)
  12. US Airways (AWE) – D (7)
  13. American Airlines (AA) – P (min)
  14. Federal Express (FDX) – K (W)

This produces the GPS address 43°40' N 79°37' W, , which is Lester B. Pearson International (CYYZ) in TORONTO, Ontario.

Last Quarter:

  1. United Airlines (UA) – A9 (2)
  2. Northwest Airlines (NW) – F (6)
  3. British Airways – M (deg)
  4. American Eagle (EGF) – A11 (1)
  5. Shuttle America (TCF) – A9 (2)
  6. Chautaqua Airlines (CHQ) – P (min)
  7. Mesa Airlines (ASH) – A7 (N)
  8. GoJet Airlines (GJS) – A11 (1)
  9. SkyWest Airlines (SKW) – A9 (2)
  10. Lufthansa (LH) – D (7)
  11. Trans States Airways (LOF) – M (deg)
  12. US Airways (AWE) – B (3)
  13. American Airlines (AA) – H (9)
  14. Federal Express (FDX) – P (min)
  15. ABX Air (ABX) – WT (E)

This produces the GPS address 26°12' N 127°39' E, which is Naha Airport (ROAH) in Naha, OKINAWA.