N7277U

A United B727-22 cruises along at FL280 over western Illinois while enroute ORD-DSM. Flight1/Dreamfleet 727, with UAL repaint by Nick Botamer.Mark

The gear comes up on a Boeing 727-22 as it climbs out of KDSM for KDEN. Flight1/Dreamfleet 727. Nick Botamer UAL repaint.Hope you like it! Mark

Hi Patrick,I'm not a pilot either, but I can tell you that "Wilt", "Ridge" and "Taft" are the names given to the outer marker beacons for those respective runways. In ATC terms, this is where controller authority changes from the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON, located in Elgin, Illinois in the case of KORD) to the local tower controller. The approach controller at the TRACON will control the flight from about 40 miles out, until the aircraft is lined up and sequenced on the localizer for the runway. Usually, the last instruction issued from the approch controller to a flight would be "cleared for the approach runway 28, 180 to the marker, tower at Wilt, 126.9". This means that the aircraft is cleared to fly the localizer approach to runway 28, at 180 knots, then to contact the ORD tower upon arriving at the outer marker (Wilt for 28). When the aircraft arrives at the marker, the crew switches to the tower radio frequency, and identifies it's location to the ORD tower controller. The ORD tower controller will then usually issue landing clearance, and give touchdown zone wind information. So, "United 321 Heavy, Wilt" is an inbound flight announcing to ORD tower that it's at the outer marker, inbound for 28 and requesting landing clearance.Those names for beacons and intersections often do relate to things on the ground, or of local reference or importance. For example, the outer marker for 14R at ORD is named "Chester". This is in honor or the late Chester (Andy) Anderson, a former ORD tower chief who passed away several years ago. The marker was formerly "Roamy", though I don't know what the significance of that name was. Taffs? (that's how it's spelled on the older 27L approach plate I'm looking at - i'm sort of a retro guy!) may in fact be named for the high school near the OM. A quick look at a map indicates Ridge may have gotten it's name because it is near Ridgewood Cemetery in Maine Township. I don't have the charts in front of me, but if you look at some of the intersection names around the Chicago area, you'll see things like "BULLZ", "BEARZ" and I believe "KUBBS". Sports fans will likely recognize the origins of those names :-)Hope this is of interest to you!Mark