Short Final: Keep Your Speed Up

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, December 06, 2022 at 11:14 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

An instructor and student flying a slow Alarus were advised by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to increase their speed on a busy final approach.
The instructor humorously replied with a Star Trek quote, indicating the aircraft was already at its maximum speed.
The ATC controller appreciated the joke, laughing on air before clearing the aircraft for landing.

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I was with my instrument student in his plane, (an Alarus CH2T that is not a speed demon), and he was flying a five‑mile final to my home airport, Gwinnett County Airport Briscoe Field. It
was a busy weekday afternoon, with lots of traffic in the pattern and also straight in for Runway 25.

All of a sudden the tower comes on and says, “Alarus N12345, keep your speed up, I have multiple aircraft behind you for Runway 25.”

We were already flying at near cruise speed (95 knots), so I keyed the mic and in my best Scotty from Star Trek voice said, “Captain, I am giving her all she’s got.”

The tower controller busted up laughing on air and then said, “Alarus N12345 thanks for that. I needed a good laugh. Continue straight in for Runway 25.”

Brian Burton
Flowery Branch, Georgia