Short Final: Four‑Legged Varmint

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A Learjet with the callsign "Coyote" was cleared for a visual approach.
  • Another aircraft, N12345, also reported runway in sight.
  • The tower controller asked N12345 to report if the Learjet ("Coyote") was in sight.
  • N12345 humorously referred to the Learjet as a "four-legged varmint," referencing the "Coyote" callsign.
See a mistake? Contact us.

I have flown Lears for many years for a company whose callsign is Coyote. One day when we had been vectored towards the airport and then handed off to Tower:

Tower: “Coyote 123, cleared for the visual Runway xx.”

Me: “Cleared visual Runway xx. Coyote 123.”

Second aircraft: “Tower, N12345 has runway in sight.”

Tower: “N12345, report preceding Learjet in sight.”

N12345: “We have the four‑legged varmint in sight. (Laughter)”

Tower: “N12345, follow the Coyote. Cleared visual Runway xx.”

Trudi Enge

El Paso, Texas

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