Short Final

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 […]

My son and daughter‑in‑law had just married. I set in motion a plan to surprise them during their flight back home. I got the frequency for Newark inbound flights at 16,000 feet from Albany Approach. I then contacted Boston Center for permission to contact United 139 for a personal message. Then it went like this: […]

We were returning from a trip to Milwaukee Timmerman after visiting the EAA AirVenture and were on VFR flight following from Chicago Approach on a busy frequency when we overheard this exchange: Chicago Approach: “N1234 are you a flight of three?” N1234: “Say again?” Chicago Approach: “N1234, are you a flight of three?” N1234: (After […]

In upstate South Carolina, Michelin has a number of plants that manufacture tires and one recently completed a 40‑year anniversary. Maybe the FAA wanted to honor such presence in the local economy with the MCHLN TWO ARRIVAL, serving several airports including the Greenville‑Spartanburg International Airport. There you can find PROVN MCHLN TYRES. I’m sure that […]

While flying as co-pilot (actually, the radio operator) on a VFR Angel Flight blood delivery mission to San Bernardino Airport (KSBD) near Ontario, we were handed off to the tower by SoCal approach. Unbeknownst to us, the KSBD tower doesn’t have radar even though it has a FedEx depot, a big FBO, an airliner graveyard, […]

The ride over was smooth and generally clear on a recent flight, but there were intermittent clouds and bumps at 7000: Piper 28D: “Allentown Approach, Piper Two Eight Delta, request.” Allentown Approach: “Go ahead.” Piper 28D: “We are about to enter a cloud layer at 7000. Is 5000 available? I’ve got my 90‑year‑old dad with […]

In 2006, Addison, Texas, the new tower structure was up, but without windows and a few walls. I was taxiing out to the runway and overheard this exchange: Addison Tower: “Lear Eight Tango Fox, turn right at Golf and taxi to parking.” Lear 8TF: “Right at Golf. Our Tower is going to look like your […]

Almost home to Lancaster, NY, after a long (for me) flight from Charlottesville, VA, I wanted to find out if anyone was on the ground at Lancaster: Me: “Lancaster Unicorn … Lancaster Unicorn”—I actually said it wrong twice—“Lancaster Unicom! Piper One Seven Two Mike Echo …” Sadly, no one got to enjoy this with me. […]

Overheard just after landing at Austin, Texas: Cessna 0DS: “Austin Tower, Cessna Five Seven Zero Delta Sierra, ready for departure.” No response for a short time. Tower: “Was that American Twelve Sixty‑one calling?” Cessna 0DS: “I wish. No, it was Cessna Five Seven Zero Delta Sierra.” Unidentified: “Be careful what you wish for.” Scott McCartney […]

Recently, I was giving an IPC to a friend in his J model Mooney. We decided to fly the Boca Raton (KBCT) VOR‑A approach using GPS for the final approach segment (FAS). The approach starts at the Palm Beach (PBI) VORTAC and the FAS is 17.7 NM long. We were north and outside of the […]