It is a very subtle form of artistry but it will almost certainly blow your mind - if you are in the know, that is! Otherwise you don’t know, and, well, then you don’t know, and your mind will remain unblown. Let us just say this: When our team was going through the new charts for the next cycle someone actually uttered the words “Could it be…? Nooo, it can’t be!” However, before we reveal this gem, let’s start with the basics and slowly build up to what must be considered a modern day masterpiece.
So you know when you plan your route and come across a rather amusing waypoint name that makes you smile? A favorite of ours is GINIS off the coast of Dublin. While it’s admittedly funny, it makes sense and is also useful. With a name like that you won’t forget where to find it. It’s a joke but also a mnemonic, a memory rule. Similarly, between India and Pakistan you will find the waypoint TIGER which also makes a lot of sense. It’s a nice little tribute to the geographical surroundings of a particular waypoint.
The next level of waypoint naming creativity is when you find waypoints grouped not only geographically but also thematically, like in the case of waypoints around the Brisbane airport. LEAKY BOATS SINNK PLUGG DRAIN may sound a bit ominous, but they are sure easy to remember.
However, coming into Kansas City things clearly start to get a little out of hand. Are you reading the approach chart or the daily menu? BARBQ, SPICY, SMOKE, RIBBS, and BRSKT will take you to the runway, probably a bit faster than intended too because of the induced increase of appetite. Is there a vegetarian alternative route one may ask?
At this point you are starting to wonder what goes on in the offices of the civil aviation authorities. Are there any naming rules at all? Is there a Manager for Funny Waypoint Names, something akin to Ministry of Silly Walks, yet for aviation? Maybe, maybe not, but our recent finding seems to indicate that there is also a whole other level of sophistication if you just know what to look for.
Flying westwards towards Los Angeles and Burbank airport you may be directed to take the THRNE 1 RNAV ARRIVAL. Zipping along you might not be thinking anything particular of it until your reach DROGO and you immediately find yourself remembering Khal Drogo, the leader of the Dothraki horse people. Before you can say “khaleesi” you are passing DNERY, and by now you realize that this cannot be coincidence. Surely this must be Daenerys Targaryen, the dragon lady, which in turn connects to ARRYA, Arya Stark that is, one of Lord Stark’s five children (well, six counting Jon Snow). Soon after you are passing IRONN and THRNE and if it isn’t clear by now, it should be as you come up to NNEDD, or Lord Eddard “Ned” Stark, Lord of Winterfell, as he is known to us. Last but not least we have JOFRY, Joffrey Baratheon, the young blond little king from the House Lannister. There you have it - the Game of Thrones arrival into Burbank airport. Boom!
The masterminds behind this piece of aerial art seem to be Robert E. Henry and Jose Gonzalez. We cannot begin to imagine how fun the planning meetings must have been at the FAA. The arrival comes into effect on the 27th of April. At this point we have only two questions: 1) How long did they think it would take before anyone noticed? and 2) What’s SMEGL doing in this procedure?
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