Short Final: Going One Direction or the Other

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • An Air Traffic Controller (ATC) asked a pilot whether they planned to pass east or west of Mt. Diablo.
  • The pilot initially responded with their current heading, prompting the controller to humorously rephrase the question to get the specific navigational information needed.
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While flying one day in Northern California, I heard the following:

Center: “Cessna 1234 are you planning to pass east or west of Mt. Diablo?

Cessna: “We’re currently heading south.

Center: (with a chuckle) “I understand that you’re heading south. But when you pass that mountain ahead, will it be on your left or right side?”

Phil Verghese

Santa Clara, CA

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