Short Final: Toy Airplanes

Editorial Staff

Monday, March 01, 2021 at 06:35 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A Chicago Approach air traffic controller was notoriously intolerant of VFR pilots seeking flight following services.
He frequently denied these requests with rude remarks, often directing pilots to other frequencies or locations.
His difficult behavior was acknowledged and disliked by fellow controllers, who were relieved when he retired.

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It was a number of years ago, so it’s OK to tell the story now …

Chicago Approach was famous for a lack of tolerance for VFR pilots. One controller would say things like, “Flight Following? Yeah; here ya go: turn heading 270 and call back when you’re in Iowa. I don’t have any time for toy airplanes.”

That same controller did it to me when I was flying up Lake Shore Drive with my wife and a CFI friend. I called for flight following and he barked, “All VFR traffic: We don’t have time for flight following. Try center on 123.45.”

When local controllers came out to events like EAA meetings, they admitted that they knew the guy, and were glad when he retired a few years ago.

Jerry Ossowski

Bolingbrook, IL