RNAV Waypoint ID change to honor SS Edmund Fitzgerald Crew
The Issue
A Petition to Rename Three RNAV Waypoints in Honor of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald
There are three RNAV waypoints that lead into the two airports on the American and Canadian sides of the St. Mary’s River. This river lies at the end of the breathtaking Whitefish Bay, at the far eastern end of the mighty Lake Superior.
These waypoints are currently identified as NCOLY, WAGGO, and RRBEE. They are easy for pilots to pronounce when flying over them and easy to identify on a map. So why do I mention these waypoints today? I point them out because of their location. They sit at the mouth of Whitefish Bay, as mentioned before, but the events that took place in the waters below these waypoints on November 10, 1975, are known only to some, mostly those who live near or on the Great Lakes.
On November 10, 1975, the mighty SS Edmund Fitzgerald, the “Pride of the American Side” and the great Queen of the Lakes, met her tragic end. She was a great ship that many crew members and fans believed to be unsinkable. On the final voyage of veteran Captain Ernest M. McSorley, a revered and respected captain known for his grit and professionalism over more than 40 years on the Great Lakes, the ship and her 28-man crew a well-trained group of veterans and hand-picked young sailors met their final demise. The “storm of the century” overcame the mighty ship and sent her to her final resting place more than 500 feet below the surface of Lake Superior.
Why, then, this petition?
This ship and her crew, with all their experience and strength, were still overcome by the relentless force of Mother Nature. There were many factors that led to the demise of this mighty ship, and those factors deserve to be studied and remembered by pilots who fly through this area or simply see these waypoints on a map. They serve as a reminder that no matter how skilled you believe yourself to be or how strong your aircraft may be, you can still be caught off guard.
This petition is a call for the FAA to change the identifiers of these three waypoints, starting from the westernmost point and heading east toward the safe waters of Whitefish Bay, to the following:
RMEMB
EDDIE
FITZG
May these waypoints serve as a constant reminder to always remain vigilant and never take anything for granted. May they also ensure that we remember the sons, fathers, husbands, and brothers who tragically lost their lives on that stormy November day.
316
The Issue
A Petition to Rename Three RNAV Waypoints in Honor of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald
There are three RNAV waypoints that lead into the two airports on the American and Canadian sides of the St. Mary’s River. This river lies at the end of the breathtaking Whitefish Bay, at the far eastern end of the mighty Lake Superior.
These waypoints are currently identified as NCOLY, WAGGO, and RRBEE. They are easy for pilots to pronounce when flying over them and easy to identify on a map. So why do I mention these waypoints today? I point them out because of their location. They sit at the mouth of Whitefish Bay, as mentioned before, but the events that took place in the waters below these waypoints on November 10, 1975, are known only to some, mostly those who live near or on the Great Lakes.
On November 10, 1975, the mighty SS Edmund Fitzgerald, the “Pride of the American Side” and the great Queen of the Lakes, met her tragic end. She was a great ship that many crew members and fans believed to be unsinkable. On the final voyage of veteran Captain Ernest M. McSorley, a revered and respected captain known for his grit and professionalism over more than 40 years on the Great Lakes, the ship and her 28-man crew a well-trained group of veterans and hand-picked young sailors met their final demise. The “storm of the century” overcame the mighty ship and sent her to her final resting place more than 500 feet below the surface of Lake Superior.
Why, then, this petition?
This ship and her crew, with all their experience and strength, were still overcome by the relentless force of Mother Nature. There were many factors that led to the demise of this mighty ship, and those factors deserve to be studied and remembered by pilots who fly through this area or simply see these waypoints on a map. They serve as a reminder that no matter how skilled you believe yourself to be or how strong your aircraft may be, you can still be caught off guard.
This petition is a call for the FAA to change the identifiers of these three waypoints, starting from the westernmost point and heading east toward the safe waters of Whitefish Bay, to the following:
RMEMB
EDDIE
FITZG
May these waypoints serve as a constant reminder to always remain vigilant and never take anything for granted. May they also ensure that we remember the sons, fathers, husbands, and brothers who tragically lost their lives on that stormy November day.
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Petition created on October 26, 2026