Читать книгу Аэропорт / Аirport онлайн | страница 19

The pervading tone in the radar room was calm. However, beneath the calmness, at all times, was a constant nervous strain. Cause of the added tension today was a signal on a radarscope which, in turn, had triggered a flashing red light and alarm buzzer in the control room. It denoted an aircraft in distress. In this case, the aircraft was a U.S. Air Force KC-135, high above the airport in the storm, and seeking an immediate emergency landing.

The tower watch chief on the floor above had been promptly informed of the distress signal. He, in turn, had declared a category three emergency, alerting airport ground facilities.

The flatface scope, at the moment the center of attention, was a horizontal glass circle set into a tabletop console. Its surface was dark green, with brilliant green points of light showing all aircraft in the air within a forty-mile radius. As the aircraft moved, so did the points of light. Beside each light point was a small plastic marker, identifying it. Controllers moved them by hand as aircraft progressed and their positions on the screen changed. As more aircraft appeared, they were identified by voice radio and similarly tagged. Tonight there was an extraordinary number of aircraft on the screen.

Keith was seated closest to the flatface. His body was tense, he was concentrating, his face strained, as it had been for months. The green reflection of the scope accentuated deep hollows beneath his eyes. Anyone who knew Keith well, but had not seen him for a year or so, would have been shocked both by his appearance and his change in manner. Keith was six years younger than his brother, Mel, but nowadays appeared a good deal older.

The radar supervisor, Wayne Tevis, was observing Keith covertly at this moment, watching the signs of increasing strain. Tevis was ready, if necessary, to relieve Keith from radar watch, a decision which instinct told him might have to be made at any time.

His eyes on Keith’s flatface scope, Tevis drawled, “Keith, that Braniff flight is closing on Eastern. If you turn Braniff right, you can keep Eastern going on the same course.” It was something which Keith should have seen himself, but hadn’t.