Night rider keeps O'Hare runways safe

While most of us are sound asleep, Scott Wiebe is high above the skies at O'Hare, checking out the airport's latest runway.

The Villa Park native has an impressive title he makes light of - air space system inspection pilot with the Federal Aviation Administration. He's responsible for conducting flight checks of new and existing runways to ensure their navigation systems work properly.

Last Tuesday Wiebe gave a tour of his Beechcraft King Air 300 to explain what the job entails.

"It's tight quarters in here," Wiebe said, as we clambered aboard a small two-engine turboprop plane where he, a co-pilot and pilot technician squeeze in along with computers and a printer.

Since Aug. 11, the crew has flown numerous times at different altitudes over the 7,500-foot north runway, scheduled to open Nov. 20, calibrating the instrument landing systems that guide pilots in bad weather. They fly at night because O'Hare International Airport is so busy during the day.

There are two components to the instrument landing systems that the FAA wants to review - a localizer that sends a signal telling aircraft if they're lined up horizontally with the runway and a glide slope that gives pilots their angle of descent.

"The glide slope gives you an angle to fly at and the indications in the cockpit will tell you if you're below or above that point in space," Wiebe explains.

When it's stormy or foggy, these are the eyes and ears of every pilot until the plane comes within about 200 feet of the runway.

"You've got to watch your instruments and believe in them," said Wiebe, who has the classic "folks, we're experiencing a little turbulence" reassuring pilot's voice.

The pilots corroborate if the runway equipment is giving them the correct information through a GPS system and gyroscope on board the Beechcraft.

"We know where we are in space and we know what the signal should be at that point," Wiebe said.

If there's an incorrect signal, the FAA technician gets on the radio with ground maintenance at O'Hare who are also burning the midnight oil. Some of the fixes include actually adjusting antennas on the equipment to put out a flawless signal.

"We find things out of tolerance every once in a while but they're very reliable systems," Wiebe said.

Asked when they'll give the runway the go-ahead, Wiebe explained it will be a few weeks until technicians have analyzed all the data.

Wiebe works out of an FAA division based in Battle Creek, Mich. But he knows the area well after graduating from Willowbrook High School in Villa Park. The former football player was recruited by the Air Force and spent 22 years there before joining the FAA in 2002.

In addition to new runways, the FAA also rechecks existing ones every 270 days.

Asked if the job ever gets monotonous, Wiebe shook his head and said, "It's something different every day. I think it's the best flying job you could have, it's never boring.

"We ensure the safety of the national air space. If something happens it won't be because the system was bad."

Incoming

•Kane County drivers beware. The Illinois Department of Transportation starts resurfacing Route 47 between Route 64 and Plato Road on Monday. Work lasts until Oct. 22 and will involve lane closures.

•It's hearing week for those interested (and who isn't?) in the Canadian National Railway's bid to merge with the EJ&E railroad. The Surface Transportation Board holds an open house from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and public meeting from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the following locations: Tuesday at the Crowne Plaza, 510 E. Route 83, Mundelein; Wednesday at Barrington High School, 616 W. Main St., and Thursday at Bartlett High School, 701 Schick Road.

Mailbag

•Thanks to e-mailers who asked what the heck is happening on Route 53 near Lake County. According to IDOT, it will be resurfacing between Rand and Lake Cook roads through Nov. 5. Expect lane closures at night and on weekends.

•Reader Rick from the suburbs was brought to earth after the Air and Water Show in Chicago when the CTA 151 Sheridan Road bus was 30 minutes late Aug. 16 and there was confusion over the location of the bus stop. Did anyone else experience delays? he wonders.

•And Bears fan John Strzelecki found his experience getting to the preseason game as frustrating as the defense. He showed up at Pace's Northwest Transportation Center to find the Route 237 Soldier Field Express canceled. When asked about the problem, Pace apologized to riders and explained the Soldier Field bus did not run Thursday from Schaumburg and Elk Grove Village. The transit agency's Northwest Division was overloaded with demands that included regular rush hour service, a Cubs game and obligations to schools, officials said. Regular Pace bus service to Bears matches will continue.

•Please keep the e-mails coming to mpyke@dailyherald.com.