Winter has been long since expected but now that at least Chicago has snow and Minneapolis is sure to get some in the next few weeks, we thought we better make the best of it. It's Chicago ARTCC vs. Minneapolis ARTCC and YOU, the pilots, are the snowballs.

Here's how it works:

Each aircraft that flies ORD-MSP counts as Chicago throwing a snowball at Minneaolis, thus Chicago gets one point. The more snowballs that are thrown, the better chance that ARTCC has of winning. So, if you want Chicago to win, fly ORD-MSP. If you want Minneapolis to win, fly MSP-ORD.

Seems easy, right? Wrong. There's more.

What is a snowball fight without a structurally sound snow fort? Ah yes, if you want to win faster, the best way to do it is to knock out the fort. So, Chicago and Minneapolis are surrounded by various shields, namely, their class Charlie and Delta satellite airports. If you fly into one of the satellite airports, that counts as knocking out one of the shields. Knock out all the shields and there is an automatic winner. If both sides' shields are knocked out during the course of the event, the number of snowballs thrown will determine the winner.

So, if you want Chicago to win you want to fly into MSP or any of the participating satellie airports around Minneapolis. If you want Minneaolis to win, you want to fly into ORD or any of the participating satellite airports around Chicago.

Below is a list of the Satellite (shield) airports:

Minneapolis ARTCC:

• KFCM - Flying Cloud
• KMIC - Crystal
• KANE - Anoka
• KSTP - St. Paul

Chicago ARTCC (Chicago has six satellite airports, but the closest four were chosen so as to be equal with Minneapolis)

• KMDW - Midway
• KPWK - Executive (Palwaukee)
• KDPA - DuPage
• KUGN - Waukegan

Simply said, this event is for small props and big jets. Pull out whatever you want and may the best facility win!