Short Final

I have a Cirrus SR20—early vintage but it’s a great airplane. I base it at KSUA, Witham Field Airport, Stuart, Florida. KOBE, Okeechobee, is a quick hop west with self‑serve gas and a great little restaurant. One day I flew over for lunch and fuel and on my return I was monitoring Stuart tower. The […]

On the ILS 17 into KMHT (Manchester, New Hampshire, where the state flower is the purple lilac), the fixes include PURBL, LYLAC, BLSSM, and BLUUM. Ahhh, thoughts of spring! Ed Fischer Rockport, Massachusetts

I was crossing the Sierras on my way to Las Vegas at 15,000 feet in my DA40 NG, which has a maximum operating altitude of 16,400 feet, when Oakland Center came on and told me to climb to 17,000 feet. I responded “unable.” After a significant pause, the controller came back and said, “I don’t […]

One morning at KAPA (used to be Arapahoe County Airport, now Centennial Airport in south metro Denver, Colorado) I decided to get current in my Super Decathlon. It was a rare morning with no wind and no other aircraft in the pattern of one of the nation’s busier GA airports. After a few close‑in patterns, […]

Heard while transitioning NorCal Approach airspace near Sacramento: Cessna 12345: (Broken, garbled transmission) NorCal: “I believe that was Cessna 12345; you’re coming in unreadable. Do you have another radio you can try?” (Pause) Cessna 12345: “NorCal approach, how do you read Cessna 12345 now?” NorCal: “Loud and clear now, your other radio was just static.” […]

I was flying from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Fargo, North Dakota, one evening recently. As we approached the Dakotas, it got rather quiet on Minneapolis Center. Predictably, after about 10 minutes of silence, somebody checked to make sure things were all well. Unknown aircraft: “Minneapolis Center. Still there?” Without a pause the controller responded: […]

On a bumpy day near New York City, we heard the following exchange: Diamond 8DS: “New York Approach, Diamond Eight Delta Sierra. I’m getting continuous moderate turbulence at 5000. Request 6000. It looks like I’ll be on top at six.” New York Approach: “Diamond Eight Delta Sierra. Unable 6000. Maintain 5000.” Diamond 8DS: “Maintain 5000, […]

Flying to Long Island’s Republic Airport (KFRG) one dark night, heavy rain appeared out of what appeared to be a clear sky. To break up the boredom on what had been a very quiet frequency for quite some time, I said, “Hey, where did all this rain come from?” An unknown voice forced into an […]

On a recent trip from Illinois to Arkansas, we overheard the following exchange: Razorback Approach: “Cessna Two Three Tango, Razorback Approach. Have you changed your destination from Houston, Texas?” Cessna 23T: “Razorback Approach, Cessna Two Three Tango. That’s a negative. Destination is still Houston.” Approach (chuckling): “Well Cessna Two Three Tango, on your current heading […]

As I neared retirement, I flew every week from the Olive Branch, MS airport (KOLV) to my farm airstrip and soon-to-be new home in East Tennessee. KOLV is a small but busy airport under the Memphis International Class B Mode C veil and I always filed IFR. My weekly routine was to depart KOLV on […]