11 August 2005 UA 5515 - FWA - ORD op by Air Wisconsin Sch Dep - 0855 (Actual: 0944) Sch Arr - 0957 (Actual: 1025) Seat 10D CRJ - (N# not observed) Gate 1 After a quick 0805 checkin at FWA (through security by 0810), I settled in for the wait. A brief weather delay (Chicago) was announced, so boarding via Gate 1 was pushed back to 0910, but was actually called one minute earlier. After boarding, we taxied out via taxiway C to Runway 23 and wheels were up at 0942. Concluding a somewhat choppy flight, we arrived at ORD - Runway 27, wheels down at 1018, and arrived at Gate F2 at 1026. UA 549 - ORD - MSP Sch Dep - 1205 (Actual: 1214) Sch Arr - 1323 (Actual: 1358) Seat 23F Airbus 319 (N830UA) Gate B5 Boarded at 1205. We were next to a United Shuttle (N922UA). Pushed back at 1219, proceeding to 27L. We waited in line - Behind AA4068 (ORD-PIA, N651AE), and UA5409 (ORD-FSD, N444ZW). We taxied and hold at 1248, rolling onto the runway at 1250 - wheels up within that minute. As I listened to Channel 9, we climed and maintained 13,000 feet, then to 250 knots (no speed specified at 13,000) at 16,000 feet, Heading 285. We flew direct Waterloo (Iowa) eventually moving up to 29,000 feet. Landing in MSP was on 12L at 1353. We taxied via taxiways P and D enroute to Gate E10. We arrived at the gate at 1358. Baggage was slow to arrive but all was claimed. After a few days, let's fly home! 15 August 2005 UA 1172 - MSP - ORD Sch Dep - 1030 (Actual: 1022) Sch Arr - 1150 (Actual: 1147) Seat 16A 737-500 (N930UA) Gate E6 Arriving at the airport at 0830, I proceeded to checkin. Went through Security as well and walked around G concourse, killing time. Made my way back to E6 in time for boarding which was called at 1001. We were next to an ATA plane - N315TZ. Pushback was at 1029. We taxied out on taxiway P towards Runway 30R and queued up behind NW2841 (MSP-JFK, N8698A). Behind us was NW3784 (MSP-MDT, N831AY). Wheels up for our aircraft was at 1043. We moved up towards 25,000 feet towards Madison and Janesville, Wisconsin. Had a perfect view of MSN enroute. We were cleared direct to land on Runway 9R and hold short of Taxiway S. Wheels down at 1140. We taxied around a fair bit and pulled up to Gate B3 at 1156. UA 5504 - ORD - FWA op by Air Wisconsin Sch Dep - 1320 (Actual: 1326) Sch Arr - 1422 (Actual: 1400) Seat 1C CRJ (Canadair CL-65) (N# not observed) Gate F4 Pushed back and proceeded on Taxiway A to Runway 9L. Wheels up just as we passed over the intersection of 9L and 32R. An easy flight, arriving on Runway 14 in Fort Wayne. Wheels down at 1352 and we were parked at Gate 1 by 1354. Luggage was a bit late coming out, but everything was claimed per normal. Questions: 1. What's a "Zero West Routing" out of ORD? 2. Who's callsign is Foxtrot (Unless I understand that to mean something else?) 3. What's the logic in some airlines dropping the first number of a four-digit flight number and others not doing so? Northwest seemed to retain all four-digit flight numbers (I'm talking about NW Airlink here), while United Express seemed to chop the first number off its four digit flight numbers. 4. What's a "Wing Walker"? 5. On the return flight to ORD, we were cleared direct to "Kleena" (Clenna?) - what's that? I don't see it mentioned anywhere on the ORD FAA plate. Thanks, and I apologize if this isn't up to the exacting standards :-) Blaine Thompson Fort Wayne, IN