...Is a fascinating article in the NY Times today.
Mark Vanhoenacker is a senior first officer for British Airways on the Boeing 747-400 fleet and the author of “Skyfaring: A Journey With a Pilot.” This essay was adapted from the author’s book.
There's some nice multi-media effects and explanations of what kind of things pilots encounter, set against the backdrop of flight from England to Japan. For example, airspace is divided up into great big blocks for traffic control and routing purposes. Inside those blocks are
waypoints, navigation checkpoints which are given 5 letter names that are distinctive - and occasionally meaningful.
It’s America’s sky-mappers who have gone to the greatest lengths to localize its skies. Near Kansas City are BARBQ, SPICY, SMOKE, RIBBS, and BRSKT. Near Detroit is PISTN; also MOTWN and WONDR (Stevie, Michigan-born).
Boston has etched a particularly rich constellation onto the heavens above New England. There is PLGRM, of course; CHWDH, LBSTA and CLAWW; GLOWB and HRALD for the city’s newspapers; while SSOXS, FENWY, BAWLL and OUTTT trace the fortunes of the city’s baseball team in long arcs across the stars. There’s a NIMOY waypoint; Leonard was born in Boston.
The whole thing is an engrossing read -
enjoy!