Short Final: Going One Direction or the Other

Thursday, March 22, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

An air traffic controller asked a pilot for their intended passing direction (east or west) relative to Mt. Diablo.
The pilot responded by stating their current heading ("We're currently heading south"), which did not directly answer the controller's specific navigational question.
The controller humorously clarified the question, prompting the pilot to specify whether the mountain would be on their left or right side.

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While flying one day in Northern California, I heard the following:

Center: “Cessna 1234 are you planning to pass east or west of Mt. Diablo?

Cessna: “We’re currently heading south.

Center: (with a chuckle) “I understand that you’re heading south. But when you pass that mountain ahead, will it be on your left or right side?”

Phil Verghese

Santa Clara, CA

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