Features Flight Planning Flight Safety Short Final

Short Final

Editorial Staff
Verified
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Two pilots (Cherokee and Grumman) simultaneously entered the left downwind for the same runway at a non-towered airport.
  • The Cherokee pilot offered to yield to the faster Grumman, but the Grumman pilot courteously declined and opted to follow.
  • This exchange demonstrated cooperative airmanship and clear communication between pilots in uncontrolled airspace.
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While flying back to my home airport, KAVQ, I heard this exchange from two pilots entering the non-towered airport airspace:

Cherokee: Cherokee 1234 entering left downwind for runway 12, full stop.

A Grumman Tiger pilot was also entering left downwind making a similar call.

Cherokee pilot: Grumman aircraft, we will swing wide since you are faster to allow you to land first.

Grumman pilot: No problem, I’m retired. Grumman number two to land behind the Cherokee.

And so they did.

John Winter

Editorial Staff

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