Short Final: Engineering To Bridge

Editorial Staff

Monday, January 17, 2022 at 07:29 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

During a flight, an air traffic control frequency (Minneapolis Center) experienced an unexpected period of silence.
A pilot eventually checked in to confirm the controller was still present.
The air traffic controller responded with a humorous Star Trek-themed reply, indicating that "carbon-based units" (humans) were still around.

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I was flying from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Fargo, North Dakota, one evening recently. As we approached the Dakotas, it got rather quiet on Minneapolis Center.

Predictably, after about 10 minutes of silence, somebody checked to make sure things were all well.

Unknown aircraft: “Minneapolis Center. Still there?”

Without a pause the controller responded: “Engineering to Bridge. Aye, Captain. Tricorder readings indicate carbon‑based units still infest the planet.”

Frank Bowlin

Aptos, California