Short Final: Be Careful What You Wish For

Monday, November 04, 2019 at 04:10 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A Cessna pilot, requesting departure clearance in Austin, was mistakenly identified by air traffic control as a major airline.
The Cessna pilot humorously responded, "I wish," when asked if he was American Twelve Sixty-one.
An unidentified party interjected with a cautionary "Be careful what you wish for" in response to the pilot's remark.

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Overheard just after landing at Austin, Texas:

Cessna 0DS: “Austin Tower, Cessna Five Seven Zero Delta Sierra, ready for departure.”

No response for a short time.

Tower: “Was that American Twelve Sixty‑one calling?”

Cessna 0DS: “I wish. No, it was Cessna Five Seven Zero Delta Sierra.”

Unidentified: “Be careful what you wish for.”

Scott McCartney
Dallas, TX