Short Final: Name Change

Many years ago I was flying my Cessna 182 from the San Francisco Bay Area east toward Columbia (O22) in the foothills of the Sierra range. This was right at the time all the various Northern and Central California approach controls were united in a single facility as they are now, all using the name “NorCal.”

I was on VFR flight following and was handed off by TRACON to the next sector, so I made my radio call to what I understood was the then-named Sierra Approach, previously known as Stockton Approach.

“Sierra Approach, N12345 level at 5500.”

They replied “N12345 radar contact, this is now NorCal Approach. New name, same great service.”

Chris Toeppen
Palo Alto, California