Short Final: Overwater

Editorial Staff

Monday, September 14, 2020 at 05:30 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A pilot flying near Toronto refused an air traffic control (ATC) instruction to turn to a heading that would take them over Lake Ontario.
The pilot's refusal stemmed from concern about flying a single-engine aircraft ("one spinney thing") over water.
ATC subsequently revised their instructions, telling the pilot to maintain current heading and climb, and then provided traffic information.

See a mistake? Contact us.

We were following the Lake Ontario shoreline north toward Billy Bishop Toronto City airport on Toronto Island near downtown Toronto. On frequency we heard the following.

Toronto Terminal: “Piper 1234, turn heading 110, vector for traffic.”

Piper 1234: “Oooh no! I’m not going out over the water—I’ve only got one spinney thing!”

Toronto Terminal: “Piper 1234, maintain current heading. Climb and maintain 3400. Traffic 12 o’clock, four miles, opposite direction, 2300 feet is a Cardinal.”

Daniel Eberl

Iowa City, IA