Short Final

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A voluntary home defense pilot group in northern Sweden, composed mainly of bush pilots unaccustomed to frequent radio use, was conducting a training session at a controlled airport.
  • During a busy landing circuit, one pilot's inexperience with radio communication led to a humorous exchange with the control tower, stating their position as "behind the one in front of me."
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Here’s a story from above the Polar Circle:

I am involved in a voluntary home defense pilot group in the northern part of Sweden. We only fly Cessnas and Pipers on a regular basis, and our pilots are mainly bush pilots, not accustomed to using the radio often. During a training weekend at a controlled airport, we had a landing session, with five or six aircraft in the circuit, and the guy in the tower has a busy time keeping us all sorted out. We then heard the following exchange over the radio:

Tower:
“Sierra Echo XXX, state your position.”

SE XXX:
“Aeum … I’m behind the one in front of me!”

Olle Persson
via e-mail

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