Features

(Be careful what you say, someone might be listening.) Several months ago, whilst assigned to the Tracon, an incident occurred which still causes great laughter throughout our community. It was a busy arrival session, the controller was working four VHF frequencies — including approaches into a satellite airport and two UHF frequencies. After sending numerous […]

Stand on the spectator line at the Reno Air Races and the sense of “calm before the storm” permeates the atmosphere. A few minutes before, we spectators watched the Sport-class aircraft line up, start engines, taxi way down to the east end and then take off to the west, making beautiful airplane noise and flying […]

Sport Pilot Assessed I remember the President of the U.S. Ultralight Association asking for AOPA members to call AOPA to find out where they stood on Sport Pilot. I did. They weren’t very interested. They told me they wouldn’t interfere with what “we” were doing. I found the general tone of the inquiry a bit […]

It’s time to pick annual leave for 2006 at Atlanta Center (ZTL). We pick our days off and two weeks of leave at the same time. I’ve been senior enough to get Saturday and Sunday off for some time now. Lots and lots of controllers get really excited about seniority. Me, I never give it […]

Overheard during fleet week practice over the San Francisco Bay; Nor Cal Approach: Bonanza 1-2-3-4, opposite direction traffic at your 1 o’clock, five miles, five hundred feet above you, Blue Angels flight of two. Bonanza 1-2-3-4: Negative contact, say again type traffic. Nor Cal: Two F-18s, blue and yellow. Currently at your one moving to […]

Avgas Prices Your Question of the Week (QOTW, Sep. 21) regarding how high avgas prices need to go before I give up flying leaves one important point out: the cost of other modes of transportation.If auto gas goes to $11 and avgas $12, it still may be cost-effective to fly rather than drive. Similarly, if […]

While waiting to enter the taxiway in ONT, (California) an Airbus working for a major parcel carrier came face to face with our corporate 727 and the following conversation ensued: ONT Twr: Airbus 1234, where are you going today, sir? Airbus 1234: Right where that 727 is, and, uh, be advised our tail might be […]