Short Final

I was flying IFR in VMC between St. Petersburg and Orlando Executive. Central Florida TRACON (Orlando Approach) was vectoring non‑commercial traffic over the top of Orlando International for an eventual turn to the north or continuation to the east. In my case, after passing over Orlando International, I would get a descending north turn followed […]

I was flying near Salinas, California, when the Goodyear blimp was passing over the airport. Tower advised an inbound aircraft of the blimp in the area. Tower: “Beech 1234 be advised there’s a blimp at your two o’clock, three thousand feet.” Beech 1234: “Is that from the top or from the bottom? Doug Anderson Salinas, […]

Heard on ABQ CTR near GBN on 132.45: ABQ Center:Flight XYZ say ride conditions. Flight XYZ: no answer ABQ Center:Flight XYZ say ride conditions. Flight XYZ: no answer ABQ Center on 121.5:Flight XYZ, ABQ Center, if you hear us ident. Flight XYZ:Flight XYZ. Sorry my copilot was talking so loud about his race cars and […]

In Valdez, Alaska, for the annual fly‑in and STOL competition, a Lake amphibian (not known for its STOL capability), in town for the fly‑in, departed early to beat the weather just before the last round of the competition. Heard on the temporary tower frequency as the competition continued and the Lake departed: Lake: “Tower, Lake […]

On a recent flight home, we were cruising along at 7,000 feet in good weather, except for the occasional encounter with the very top of a cumulus cloud. Knowing my wife is not a fan of any amount of turbulence, I asked ATC for a climb to 9,000. ATC replied, “That’s approved. What’s the reason […]

I was flying southbound in the Los Angeles basin in mid‑July 2017 when I heard a VFR pilot trying to get a shortcut through the Los Angeles Class Bravo airspace. SoCal: “NXXXXX how do you plan to navigate the LA Bravo airspace?” Pilot: “SoCal I’d like to go through the Bravo, LAX direct Brown Field.” […]

Back in the days when Pueblo, Colorado, still had a TRACAB (terminal radar in the tower cab), I was visiting with the controllers when the following took place. A Cessna pilot, who hopefully was a student, was on a flight from Colorado Springs, field elevation of 6,172 feet MSL, to Pueblo, elevation 4,725 feet MSL. […]

Cleveland Center: Airliner xyz, turn right heading xxx to intercept the localizer, cleared for the RNAV xx approach at XXX. Use caution for party balloons on the final approach course at around 2,100 feet. Airliner xyz: Party balloons? Cleveland Center: Yes a previous arrival told us he saw a group of party balloons at about […]

I was on an IFR arrival into Houston a while ago with busy Approach Control, when I heard the following exchange: Approach Control: “N1234 say altitude.” N1234: “Altitude.” Approach without hesitation and very patiently: “N1234 say the altitude you are flying.” N1234: “Oh, 5,500 feet.” Approach: “Thank you. Altimeter 29.93.” Mark Robertson Alvin, TX

I was inbound for landing at Reid‑Hillview airport and had a traffic alert off to my left, 300 feet higher and faster. About a minute after the traffic alert the tower told me I had traffic above and to the left of me. I replied that I did not have traffic in sight. Tower said, […]