Short Final: Smooth Rides

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A flight encountered significant turbulence west of the Rockies.
  • A commercial pilot requested a lower altitude, hoping for a "smooth ride" based on an ATC report about chop at higher levels.
  • Air Traffic Control promptly clarified that they had only reported turbulence, not guaranteed smooth conditions at any altitude.
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We were returning in our Phenom 300 from New Jersey to our home base in San Jose, California (KSJC). The weather was good but west of the Rockies was pretty rough the whole way. One commercial pilot heading north from the SoCal area called ATC and said, “You said the rides from 300 to 380 were experiencing chop, so we’d like to request 260 or 280 for a smooth ride.”

The controller came right back with, “I definitely did not say anything about smooth rides.”

Daniel Sternbergh

San Jose, CA

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