Unfortunately for air travelers, this scenario is not far-fetched in the least. In October of this year, two private planes came close to colliding in midair near Las Vegas due to an error made by an air traffic controller.
Donlay, a professional pilot with 30 years' experience, knows all too well the very real danger of midair collisions. He vividly remembers the day when an air-controller error resulted in his plane and a 727 crossing paths 37,000 feet above Indianapolis.
"We saw him just in time," says Donlay. "We took evasive action and crossed over the top of him by 200 feet. It was a close call that I'll never forget."
While researching for his book, Donlay uncovered more than a dozen documented midair accidents. His fictional but entirely possible scenario envisions what could happen if a small series of events at an air traffic control site snowballed into a major midair collision. Midair collisions are a part of our history, with nearly 1,600 people having died as a result of them since the beginning of commercial air travel. But could Donlay's fictional account become a grim reality?
"Certainly there are safeguards in place to prevent something like what I write about in Code Black from happening," says Donlay. "But even with all the high-tech processes and systems at the air traffic controllers' fingertips, human error is still a very real danger."
In June, Aviation Today reported seven recent near midair collisions in the vicinity of the New York area. The local air traffic controllers union says Kennedy, Newark, and La Guardia airports are short-staffed, a problem cited by air traffic controllers in locations across the country.
While air traffic controllers bemoan not having enough people in the control tower, the number of people in the skies is ever increasing. FAA officials say "very light jets," or VLJs, a new generation of aircraft that are inexpensive and can land almost anywhere, will cause a large surge in air traffic.
If you have ever sat in the back of an airliner and wondered "what if," then you are not alone. Code Black, although a work of fiction, plays out the thrilling and terrifying possibility of a midair collision — a terrible scenario but one based on fact.
Code Black is available at www.amazon.com, www.philipdonlay.com, and www.barnesandnoble.com.
About Philip S. Donlay
Philip Donlay earned his private pilot's license while he was still in high school. At the age of 19, he became a flight instructor in Wichita, Kansas. Soon he was offered an opportunity to stretch his wings — all the way to Saudi Arabia. After months of flying private jets over windswept deserts, he returned to the United States. Today, he is licensed to fly six different types of jets and holds the civilian title of Senior Captain. His travels have taken him to 35 countries on four continents. He now divides his time between Minneapolis and Northern Virginia.
Donlay's first novel, Category Five, was published in 2005 and earned widespread praise.
To interview Philip S. Donlay or request a review copy of Code Black, contact Rachel Friedman at 727-443-7115, ext. 206, or email rachel@emsincorporated.com. Please include your name, publication, and mailing address with your request.
