Short Final: Medical Transport

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A medical transport pilot, when asked about "souls on board," humorously detailed the body parts being transported (e.g., 3 legs, 2 arms, 2 kidneys) in addition to two pilots.
  • The subsequent pilot (the author) then lightheartedly clarified their own "souls on board" count as "two whole people."
  • This humorous interaction caused the air traffic controller to laugh out loud.
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I was heading to Palm Springs from San Diego on an IFR flight plan. I heard another pilot call in for an IFR clearance and it went something like this:

Transport 1234: “SoCal Approach we’d like an IFR clearance into San Diego.”

SoCal: “How many souls are on board?”

Transport 1234: “We have two pilots but also 3 legs, 2 arms and 2 kidneys. We are on a medical transport mission moving body parts.”

When it was my turn to check in, I said, “N155DJ level niner‑thousand. For the record we just have two whole people on board.”

I’ve never heard a controller bellow out a laugh like he did.

Marty Goodman
San Diego, CA

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