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| | [[Chicago]] <br> | | [[Chicago]] <br> |
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| − | Chicago O'Hare International Airport, also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is an international airport located on the Far Northwest Side of Chicago, Illinois, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of the Loop. It is the primary airport serving the Chicago area, with Midway Airport, about 10 miles (16 km) closer to the Loop, serving as a secondary airport for low-cost carriers.
| + | O'Hare, located on the far northwest side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the city's 77 official community areas. O'Hare International Airport is located within the boundaries of this community area. This community area is the only one that extends outside of Cook County; the western edge is in DuPage County. |
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| − | Until 2005, O'Hare was the world's busiest airport in number of takeoffs and landings. Until 1998, O'Hare was the busiest airport in the world in number of passengers. Mainly due to limits imposed on the airport by the federal government to reduce flight delays,[7] Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport became the busiest by the former metric in 2005. As of 2014, O'Hare is the busiest airport in the world by traffic movements, and is the third busiest airport in the United States and sixth busiest in the world by passenger traffic.
| + | Due to its proximity to O'Hare International Airport as well as major roads such as Interstates 90, 190, and 294, and Illinois Routes 72 and 171, the O'Hare neighborhood is a major business center. Combined with nearby Rosemont, the region serves as an edge city, a major concentration of jobs, shopping, and entertainment. |
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| − | O'Hare is currently a major hub for American Airlines and United Airlines, as well as a hub for regional carrier Air Choice One and a focus city for Frontier Airlines[1] and Spirit Airlines.[2] It is the second largest passenger carrying hub for United after Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport carrying 15.3 million passengers annually, and largest by number of daily flights, operating a total of 585 flights daily.[8] O'Hare is American's second largest hub, behind Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and third largest by number of daily flights, operating a total of 201 mainline flights daily.[9]
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| − | As of September 2014, O'Hare has direct service to a total of 210 destinations, including 153 domestic destinations in the United States and 57 international destinations in South America, Asia and Europe. With 200+ destinations, O'Hare is among a select group of airports worldwide with that distinction, including Frankfurt Airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Charles de Gaulle Airport, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Munich Airport, and Dubai International Airport.
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| − | O'Hare has been voted the "Best Airport in North America" for 10 years by two separate sources: Readers of the U.S. Edition of Business Traveler Magazine (1998–2003) and Global Traveler Magazine (2004–2007).[10] Travel and Leisure magazine's 2009 "America's Favorite Cities" ranked Chicago's Airport System (O'Hare and Midway) the second-worst for delays, New York City's airport system (JFK, Newark Liberty, and LaGuardia) being the first.[11] O'Hare currently accounts for over a sixth of the nation's total flight cancellations.[12]
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| − | It is operated by the City of Chicago Department of Aviation. Most of O'Hare Airport is in Cook County, but a section of the southwest part of the airport is in DuPage County. The Cook County portion is located within a section of the City of Chicago contiguously connected to the rest of the city via a narrow strip of land about 200 ft (61 m) wide, running along Foster Avenue, from the Des Plaines River to the airport.[13][14] This land was annexed into the city limits in the 1950s to assure the massive tax revenues associated with the airport would go to the city. The strip is bounded on the north by Rosemont and the south by Schiller Park.[15]
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| | Contents [hide] | | Contents [hide] |
| − | 1 History | + | 1 Religion |
| − | 1.1 World War II
| + | 2 Consulates |
| − | 1.2 Commercial development
| + | 3 Economy |
| − | 1.3 Pre-deregulation service
| + | 4 Education |
| − | 1.4 Post-deregulation developments
| + | 5 References |
| − | 1.5 United States Air Force use
| + | 6 External links |
| − | 2 Infrastructure
| + | Religion[edit] |
| − | 2.1 Runways
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| − | 2.2 Intra-airport transportation
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| − | 2.3 Other facilities
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| − | 3 Terminals
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| − | 3.1 Terminal 1
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| − | 3.2 Terminal 2
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| − | 3.3 Terminal 3
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| − | 3.4 International Terminal 5
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| − | 4 Airlines and destinations
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| − | 4.1 Passenger
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| − | 4.2 Future Passenger Airlines and Destinations
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| − | 4.3 Cargo
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| − | 5 Statistics
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| − | 5.1 Traffic
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| − | 5.2 Destinations
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| − | 6 Ground transportation | |
| − | 6.1 Rail
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| − | 6.1.1 Chicago 'L'
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| − | 6.1.2 Metra
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| − | 6.2 Car
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| − | 6.3 Taxi
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| − | 6.4 Bus
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| − | 6.5 Cell Phone Lot
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| − | 7 Modernization plan
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| − | 7.1 Resistance and alternatives
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| − | 8 Incidents and accidents
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| − | 8.1 Train incidents
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| − | 9 See also
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| − | 10 References
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| − | 11 External links
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| − | History[edit]
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| − | World War II
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| − | See also: Illinois World War II Army Airfields
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| − | O'Hare was constructed in 1942–43 as part of a manufacturing plant for Douglas C-54s during World War II.[16] The site was chosen for its proximity to the city and transportation.[16] The two million square foot (180,000 m²) factory needed easy access to the workforce of the nation's then-second-largest city, as well as its extensive railroad infrastructure. Orchard Place was a small nearby farming community.[16]
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| − | Douglas Company's contract ended in 1945 and though plans were proposed to build commercial aircraft, the company ultimately chose to concentrate production on the west coast. With the departure of Douglas, the airfield took the name of Orchard Field Airport, the source of its three-letter IATA code ORD.
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| − | In 1945, Orchard Field was chosen by the city of Chicago as the site for a facility to meet future aviation demands. Matthew Laflin Rockwell (1915–1988) was the director of planning for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and responsible for the site selection and design. He was the great grandson of Matthew Laflin, a founder and pioneer of Chicago.
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| − | In 1949, the airport was renamed "O'Hare International Airport" to honor Edward O'Hare, the U.S. Navy's first flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. Its IATA code, "ORD", remained unchanged, however, resulting in O'Hare being one of the rare instances of an airport's three-letter designation bearing no connection to the airport name or metropolitan area (with other rare instances including Orlando International Airport's IATA code "MCO" or Toronto Pearson International Airport's code of "YYZ").
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| − | Commercial development[edit]
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| − | Airline Operations
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| − | (Takeoffs Plus Landings)
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| − | Midway O'Hare
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| − | 1958 337,421 66,205
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| − | 1959 345,170 82,417
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| − | 1960 298,582 163,351
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| − | 1961 187,978 235,908
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| − | 1962 46,873 331,090
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| − | 1963 19,054 358,266
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| − | 1964 19,017 389,640
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| − | 1965 16,716 443,026
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| − | 1966 5,090 478,644
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| − | 1967 4,427 573,506
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| − | 1968 26,941 628,632
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| − | 1969 31,394 632,030
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| − | 1970 43,553 598,973
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| − | 1971 51,734 565,826
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| − | By the early 1950s, Midway Airport, Chicago's primary airport since 1931, had become too crowded despite multiple expansions and could not handle the planned first generation of jets. The city of Chicago and the FAA began to develop O'Hare as the main airport for Chicago's future.
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| − | In 1953, while traveling to an airshow at Naval Air Station Glenview in Chicago, Illinois, Blue Angels pilot LT Harding MacKnight experienced an engine flameout in his F7U Cutlass, forcing him to make an emergency landing at NAS Glenview. Traveling with him, LT "Whitey" Feightner was redirected to make his landing at O'Hare. The runway had just been completed and was covered with peach baskets to prevent aircraft from landing until it was opened. LT Feightner was told to ignore the baskets and land on the new runway. As a result, LT Feightner's F7U became the first aircraft to land on the new runway for O'Hare.
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| − | Commercial passenger flights started in 1955 and by the following year O'Hare was served by American, BOAC, Braniff, Capital, Delta, Eastern, North Central, Pan Am, TWA and United, along with freight airlines Riddle and Slick.[17] O'Hare also opened a $1 million "Skymotive" terminal for corporate aircraft in 1955, the first of its kind.[18]
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| − | Growth was slow at first. By 1957 Chicago had invested over $25 million in O'Hare, but Midway remained the world's busiest airport and airlines were reluctant to relocate all of their services to O'Hare until better highway access and other capital improvements were completed.[19] The April 1957 Official Airline Guide shows 10 weekday departures on United, 9 on American, 6 on Capital, 3 Eastern, 3 TWA, 2 Delta, 2 North Central, and 1 Braniff. Also three weekly Pan Am and one weekly BOAC (Air France and Lufthansa were at Midway). O'Hare's first dedicated international terminal opened in August 1958. By April 1959 the airport had expanded to 7,200 acres (29 km2) with new hangars, terminals, parking and other facilities. The expressway link to downtown Chicago, then known as the Northwest Expressway, was completed in 1960.[17]
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| − | Ground was broken for the main terminal complex (of which Terminals 2 and 3 remain today) on April 1, 1959.[20] The complex, designed by C. F. Murphy and Associates, opened on January 1, 1962.[20][21]
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| − | All fixed-wing scheduled airline service in Chicago moved from Midway to O'Hare by July 1962. President John F. Kennedy attended a dedication ceremony in 1963; after he was assassinated later that year, the section of Interstate 90 between downtown Chicago and O'Hare was renamed the Kennedy Expressway.[17] The arrival of Midway's former traffic quickly made O'Hare the world's busiest airport, serving 10 million passengers annually. Within two years that number would double, with more people passing through O'Hare in 12 months than Ellis Island had processed in its entire existence. In late 1972, Chicago city officials reached an agreement with airlines to shift some services back to Midway in order to ease the overcrowding at O'Hare.[22] Despite this, O'Hare remained the world's busiest airport until 1998.[23] In the late 1960s Midway was nearly abandoned; it enjoyed a revival after startup carrier Midway Airlines began low-cost service there in 1979–80.[24]
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| − | Pre-deregulation service[edit]
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| − | American Airlines, United Airlines and Trans World Airlines had many routes to the West Coast, Northeast and Midwest. TWA flew to Europe nonstop from O'Hare starting in 1958.[25][26][27] Northwest Orient Airlines flew to the Northeast, Pacific Northwest, Florida and Hawaii, as well as service through Alaska to Japan and the Far East.[28] Their 747 to Tokyo was O'Hare's first nonstop to Asia, in 1977. Delta Air Lines served the Southeast and Midwest.[29]
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| − | During this era international flights used Terminal 1. United, Ozark, Braniff, Eastern, Northwest, Continental and Piedmont used Terminal 2 (concourses D, and current concourses E and F). In Terminal 3, Concourse G served TWA and Air Canada, and Concourses H and K served American, Delta and North Central (later merged into Republic Airlines).
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| − | Post-deregulation developments[edit]
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| − | In the 1980s, after deregulation, TWA replaced Chicago with St. Louis as its main mid-continent hub.[30] Northwest likewise shifted to a Minneapolis and Detroit-centered network by the early 1990s following its acquisition of Republic Airlines in 1986.[31] On January 17, 1980, the airport's weather station became the official point for Chicago's weather observations and records by the National Weather Service.[32]
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| − | United and American both established nationwide hubs at the airport in the 1980s, which continue to operate today. United developed a new US$500 million Terminal 1 ("The Terminal of the Future" or "Terminal of Tomorrow"), which was designed by Helmut Jahn and A. Epstein and Sons,[33] with Turner Construction as the construction manager,[34] and Thornton Tomasetti serving as the structural engineer.[35] It was built between 1985 and 1987 on the site of the old international terminal. Ground was broken for the new terminal complex in March 1985.[34] The terminal opened with 13 gates on June 15, 1987.[36] The terminal was officially dedicated on August 4, 1987 with Mayor Harold Washington in attendance at the dedication ceremony, and the ticketing and baggage claim areas, as well as 29 more gates, were opened.[37] Concourse D of Terminal 2 was demolished in order to make way for the rest of the terminal, which was completed in December 1988.[38] American renovated its existing facilities in Terminal 3 from 1987 to 1990. These renovations were designed by Kober/Belluschi Associates, Inc. and Welton Becket & Associates.[39] Delta maintained a Chicago hub for some time, and opened a new Concourse L, initially known as the "Delta Flight Center", designed by Perkins and Will and Milton Pate & Associates, in Terminal 3 in 1983, but ultimately closed its Chicago hub in the 1990s.[39]
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| − | Due to the construction of Terminal 1 for United, international flights were relocated to a temporary Terminal 4 from 1984 until 1993. Terminal 4 was located on the ground floor of the main parking garage; international passengers would check in there and be taken directly to their aircraft by bus. Ground for the new US$618 million International Terminal was broken on July 11, 1990 with airline executives and government officials, led by Mayor Richard M. Daley and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Samuel K. Skinner, in attendance.[40] The new Terminal 5, designed by Perkins and Will in conjunction with Heard & Associates and Consoer Townsend & Associates[41] partially opened on May 27, 1993 with its two lower levels completed to handle all international arrivals.[42] The rest of the terminal, including the departures level, opened on September 30, 1993.[43] Since the opening of Terminal 5, Terminal 4 has been made into the airport's facility for CTA buses, hotel shuttles, and other ground transportation; the T4 designation may be used again in the future as new terminals are developed. The CTA Blue Line was extended to the airport in 1984.[17]
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| − | Total annual passenger volume at O'Hare reached 30 million in 1968, 40 million in 1976, 60 million in 1990 and 70 million in 1997.[17]
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| − | A $80 million renovation of Concourse G in Terminal 3 designed by Teng & Associates, Inc. began in the spring of 1999[44] and finished in the spring of 2001. The concourse was enlarged into a 144,500-square-foot (13,420 m2) facility with 25 remodeled gates. Six large "sky vaults", huge skylights atop V-shaped columns that bring natural light into a previously confined space, were constructed. A new 4,138-square-foot (384.4 m2) Admirals Club was also added to the concourse.[45]
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| − | Delta moved its operations from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2 in 2009 in order to align its operations with merger partner Northwest Airlines. Continental moved from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 in 2010 prior to merging with United.[46]
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| − | In 2013, the Chicago Department of Aviation appropriated a $19,500 two-year contract to use livestock, specifically goats, sheep, llamas, and burros, to assist with grounds maintenance.[47] This plan was implemented due to difficulties in reaching certain areas on the runway property with traditional lawn mowing machines due to rocky or sloped terrain.[48] About 25 animals were recruited chiefly to clear growing vegetation around the approximately 120-acre (49 ha) space around the runways.[49] A secondary reason for the introduction of the animals, especially the llamas and burros, was to reduce interference from wildlife such as coyotes and birds that may come when smaller prey settle in unmaintained, grassy areas.[50]
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| − | United States Air Force use[edit]
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| − | See: O'Hare Air Reserve Station
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| − | The original Douglas Aircraft C-54 Skymaster transport manufacturing plant on the northeast side of the airport became a United States Air Force Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve facility after World War II. It was used by the USAF from 1947 until 1999 as O'Hare Air Reserve Station, making the airport a joint civil-military airfield during this period.
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| − | The 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended the closure of O'Hare Air Reserve Station as proposed by the municipal government of the City of Chicago and the transfer of both the Illinois Air National Guard's 126th Air Refueling Wing (126 ARW) and its KC-135 aircraft, and the Air Force Reserve Command's 928th Airlift Wing (928 AW) and its C-130 aircraft to new facilities to be constructed at Scott AFB, Illinois. The 126 ARW moved from the former O'Hare Air Reserve Station to Scott AFB, Illinois in 1999 as recommended by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission's Report to Congress in conjunction with the closure of the Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard facilities at O'Hare. Instead of moving to Scott AFB, subsequent BRAC action directed that the 928 AW be inactivated and its C-130 aircraft reallocated to other Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units.
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| − | Following the closure of the O'Hare Air Reserve Station, the former USAF facilities were redeveloped for air cargo and general aviation. Today, Signature Flight Support services private aircraft in this area.
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| − | Infrastructure[edit]
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| − | Runways[edit]
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| − | Runway layout at ORD
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| − | On October 17, 2013 O'Hare opened Runway 10C-28C. The opening of this eighth runway marked the completion of the Phase II expansion project. O'Hare landings have been reconfigured to predominately use a triple arrival scheme utilizing three of the four parallel runways, with the fourth runway being used for takeoffs.
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| − | Prior to the opening of 10C-28C, the new runway, 9L/27R which opened in November 2008, O'Hare had seven runways in three roughly-parallel sets. The longest is Runway 10L–28R, 13,001 by 150 feet (3,963 m × 46 m). Runways 9L, 10C, 10L, 14L, 14R, 27L, 27R, 28C and 28R have Category III instrument landing systems (ILS),[51] allowing trained aircrews to conduct landings with as little as 600 feet (180 m) of horizontal visibility. All other runway approaches except 4L and 32L have full Category I ILS. Runway 4L is seldom used for landings and has a localizer, the horizontal guidance component of an ILS system, but does not have a glideslope, the vertical component. Runway 32L was permanently closed to landings when the section south of the crossing with Runway 10L/28R was closed due to 10C/28C construction.[52]
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| − | Prior to the runway reconfiguration, all of O'Hare's runways intersected each other with the exception of 4R/22L. This created problems in inclement weather, busy times, or high winds, and several near-collisions. The redevelopment, which essentially eliminates most active runway intersections, is intended to reduce collision hazards and delays.
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| − | The field started with four clustered runways; in March 1950 all were 5,500 to 5,750 feet (1,680–1,750 m) long. Runway 14 (later 14L) became 7,345 feet (2,239 m) around 1952; the 8,000-foot (2,400 m) runway 14R/32L opened in 1956 and became 11,600 feet (3,500 m) long in 1960. The 10,000-foot (3,000 m) 9R/27L (now designated 10L/28R) opened in 1968 and 14L became 10,000 feet (3,000 m) long around the same time. 4R/22L opened in 1971 and the new 9L/27R in 2008. In 2003 the fourth original runway (18/36) closed; its short length, lack of use, and placement no longer justified certification. Runway 18/36 is now taxiway M on airport charts.
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| − | The redevelopment, when completed, will remove the two northwest–southeast runways (14/32 L/R), construct four additional east–west runways (10C/28C, 10R/28L, 9L/27R, and 9C/27C), and extend the existing east–west runways (9R/27L and 10L/28R). The two existing northeast–southwest (4/22 L/R) runways will be retained. Currently, two of the four new runways have been constructed (9L/27R, 10C/28C), and one of the two extensions (10L/28R) has been completed.
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| − | In the earlier airfield layout, 32L was often used for takeoffs in a shortened configuration. Planes reached the runway at taxiway T10 (common) or taxiway N, formerly M (not common). This shortened the runway but allowed operations on runway 10L/28R to continue without restriction. The full length of the runway was available upon request, though with the extension of 10L/28R it was usually not needed. In May 2010 runway 14R/32L was permanently shortened to 9,685 feet (2,952 m) and it now starts at taxiway N.
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| − | O'Hare has a voluntary nighttime (2200–0700) noise abatement program.[53]
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| − | The runway reconfiguration at O'Hare will also improve the airport for future Airbus A380 service. On July 5, 2007 the runway previously designated 9R/27L became runway 10/28. On May 2, 2013, that same runway (10/28) became 10L/28R. On August 30, 2007, runway 9L/27R became 9R/27L.[54]
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| − | On September 25, 2008, a 2,857-foot (871 m) extension to 10L/28R opened.[55] On May 2, 2013, airport diagrams published by the FAA depicted the runway previously designated 10/28 as 10L/28R.[56]
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| − | Runway 10C/28C was commissioned and opened for regular use on October 17, 2013.[57] On October 17, 2013, airport diagrams published by the FAA depicted the runway as open.
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| − | Intra-airport transportation[edit]
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| − | Main article: Airport Transit System
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| − | Airport Transit System with Hilton Hotel in Background
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| − | Access within the airport complex can be accomplished using a 2.5 mi (4 km)-long automated people mover that operates 24 hours a day, connecting all four terminals landside and the remote parking lots. The system began operation on May 6, 1993,[58] and will soon experience a US$240 million enhancement to add 15 new cars, upgrade the current infrastructure, and to extend the line to a new consolidated rental car facility where lot F is currently situated.[59]
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| − | Other facilities[edit]
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| − | Nippon Cargo Airlines has its Americas regional office on the O'Hare property.[60]
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| − | A large air cargo complex on the southwest side of the field was opened in 1984, replacing most of the old cargo area, which stood where Terminal 5 now exists. This complex sits right in the middle of the footprint for new runway 10C/28C, and is to be replaced by a new facility located on the northeastern portion of the airfield.[61]
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| − | The new North Terminal Air Traffic Control Tower was completed in September 2008 and commissioned for use on November 20, 2008.[62] The new tower was designed by DMJM Aviation-Holmes & Narver Aviation Partners JV (design principal Jose Luis Palacios).[63]
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| − | The USO has a facility in Terminal 2 for the use of military personnel arriving or departing, as well as military recruits going to Recruit Training Command, which has a booth at O'Hare to coordinate transportation to Naval Station Great Lakes for Naval recruits arriving via airplane.[64]
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| − | Terminals
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| − | A terminal map of O'Hare Airport
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| − | For passengers who are stranded overnight, O'Hare provides a secure area with dimmed lights, cots, pillows, blankets, and toiletries[65]
| + | The main dome of St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church depicts Christ. |
| − | O'Hare has four numbered passenger terminals with nine lettered concourses and a total of 182 gates. Two or more additional terminal buildings are envisioned; there is the possibility of a large terminal complex for the west side of the field, with access from I-90 and/or the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway, if the runway reconfiguration is completed and passenger numbers require additional terminals.
| + | A number of prominent religious institutions are based in this Community area. St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is located on Cumberland Avenue, with a branch of the Ukrainian Selfreliance Credit Union located adjacent to it. The largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, also has its headquarters in O'Hare. |
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| − | All international arrivals at O'Hare (except for flights from destinations with Customs preclearance) arrive at Terminal 5, as the other terminals do not have Customs facilities. Since a number of carriers that have international flights from O'Hare, like United and American, are based in Terminal 1 or Terminal 3, those airlines will have their aircraft offloaded at Terminal 5 and then, after passengers are offloaded, the plane is towed empty back to a gate at the airline's assigned terminal for boarding. This is done, in part to make connections for passengers transferring from domestic flights to international flights easier, since while Terminals 1, 2, and 3 are connected by an airside corridor, Terminal 5 is not, requiring passengers to exit security, ride the Airport Transit System, then reclear security in either direction.
| + | Consulates[edit] |
| | + | The Consulate-General of the Dominican Republic is located at 8700 West Bryn Mawr Avenue.[3] |
