Short Final: A Gentleman And A Scholar

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A pilot complimented an air traffic controller with "You're a gentleman and a scholar" after receiving a favorable "direct destination" clearance.
  • The controller, unfamiliar with the idiom, asked for clarification, prompting the pilot to simply offer thanks and a polite farewell.
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I was flying over central Kansas when I overheard Center clear a jet pilot “direct destination.”

The pilot, grateful, confirmed the clearance and added the compliment, “You’re a gentleman and a scholar.”
The controller, apparently unfamiliar with the phrase, replied, “Say again?”
The pilot, simply replied, “Thank you. Have a great day.”
Jerry Arnold
Valentine, NE
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