U-2 Spy Plane Fries ATC!

[Jim Logajan]

NBC is carrying a story that claims a U-2 spy plane's height and route through KZLA (L.A. ARTCC) somehow triggered the ATC primary and backup computers for KZLA to fail, which forced the FAA to ground stop flights into that area for about an hour:

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investi...affic-control-computers-shuts-down-lax-n95886

 

[Jim Logajan]

Not. These U2s have been flying for decades.

If the computer software, on the other hand, was recently changed....

 

[Jim Logajan]

It's not "KZLA" just "ZLA".

But they used to transmit both kinds of music.

Not sure why I prefixed it with a K.

 

[Jim Logajan]

First enroute facility went IOC (Initial Operating Capability) on ERAM in 2012. ZLA just went IOC about three weeks ago.

Someone has already noted the ZLA failure in the ERAM Wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ERAM

This article from late last year indicates the FAA would run out of money before ERAM was completed per the original requirements:

http://www.fiercegovernmentit.com/story/faa-deferring-eram-functionality-money-runs-out/2013-09-02