Several years ago, I was flying from John Wayne (KSNA) to Big Bear (L35) on a route that crossed that of arriving traffic into Ontario (KONT). It was the anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first flight, well into the holiday gift-buying season.
East of Ontario, SoCal instructed me to alter course 20 degrees to the right to avoid traffic at my 10 o’clock, a southwest-bound 757 descending out of 8,000 feet. My traffic was a UPS cargo flight headed into Ontario, no doubt laden with gifts from the North Pole.
After we passed, SoCal instructed me to resume my own nav. I replied, “Never let it be said that this Piper driver doesn’t give way to Santa Claus.” Chuckles ensued on 134.0!
Tom Corbett
