Short Final: Airport In Sight

Friday, July 19, 2019 at 11:52 PM ET

Verified

Image: redlegsfan21 - CC BY-SA 2.0

Key Takeaways:

An Atlanta Approach controller instructed a Citation pilot to expect a visual approach and requested weather details.
The pilot confirmed the weather and also volunteered that they had the airport in sight, questioning its immediate importance.
The controller humorously acknowledged the pilot's observation, implying the airport's sighting is crucial for a visual approach, even if not the specific information requested at that moment.

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Returning home to Peachtree DeKalb airport in metro Atlanta, I heard the following:

Atlanta Approach: “Citation 1234, expect the visual to Runway 21L at Peachtree. Let me know when you have the weather.”

Citation 1234: “Approach, Citation 1234, we have the weather for Peachtree. And, we have the airport in sight, if that’s important.”

Approach: (chuckling) “Well it will be at some point.”

Brian Williams
Marietta, GA