Short Final

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Two friends flying in separate aircraft arrived at their destination simultaneously, prompting air traffic services (FSS) to issue a traffic advisory for separation.
  • FSS, unaware the two aircraft were flying together, advised one pilot of the other as "traffic" and suggested a 360-degree turn.
  • A humorous exchange followed, with one pilot commenting they'd been doing 360s all the way to stay behind the other, who then jokingly replied, when asked if the first pilot was a friend, "Used to be."
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Overheard in IFR Magazine's 'On the Air' Section
Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air”

One sunshiny day a couple of years ago, my friend Bill in his Mooney (C-FIHH) and I in my Comanche (C-FLHV) were flying the 142 miles from Great Falls, Montana to Lethbridge, Alberta. We’d taken off one right behind the other, so not surprisingly arrived more or less simultaneously. Bill called into the FSS advisory frequency first with his position and intentions, followed by me. FSS obviously didn’t realize we were together:

FSS:
“Roger, Lima Hotel Victor. Traffic: A Mooney also arriving from the southeast, more or less your position. Suggest you do a 360 to the right for separation.”

Me (C-FLHV):
“Comanche LHV into the right 360. Actually, we’ve been doing 360s all the way from Great Falls, me trying to stay behind him.”

FSS:
“Mooney India Hotel Hotel, is he a friend of yours?”

Bill (C-FIHH):
“Used to be.”


Don Ostergard
Drumheller, Alberta

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