Originally Posted by
Sankaps
Well, then how do we explain these factoids:
1. The NWA/Delta flight taxied to the gate at 3am, after parking remotely at first
2. That both NWA/Delta and CO/XJ were in fact hoping to depart for MSP if the weather cleared, and that at 2am a weather window seemed to have opened, only to close quickly.
Both these factoids seem to suggest someone must have been at ATC at 2am and 3am?
It does not have to be a controlled facility for things to happen. If a pilot chooses to take off without clearance while the facility is under ATC control then there would be problems. If there is no ATC control then the pilots can do what they need to do on the ground using standard procedures/frequencies.
They can taxi and take off if appropriate; they just do so without direct local clearance.