Short Final

Related many years ago by Diane Ritt, Assistant Airport Manager at Antrim County Airport: Cherokee:“Charlevoix Unicom, Charlevoix Unicom, this is Cherokee [Something] Xray. What are your winds and active?” ATC:“Cherokee [Something] Xray, the winds are out of the east at five, active runway is zero nine.” Cherokee:“Charlevoix, I’m out here by the cement plant, and […]

Overheard while en route to Hendersonville, NC: Approach:“Piper XXX, say destination.” Piper XXX:“Destination:T as in … tail.R as in … roger.I as in … um … inside.” Jeff BrooksFlushing, MI

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” I was with an instrument student in a P210 preparing to depart IFR from Leesburg, Virginia. The remote radio frequency wasn’t operating, so instead we set up the frequency for the Ground Control Outlet and clicked the microphone to activate the autodial telephone patch to Dulles Approach for […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Overheard on Baltimore approach frequency: Approach:“Cessna 1234B, what code are you squawking?” Cessna:“We’re squawking [CODE]. Is everything O.K.?” Approach:“Cessna 34B, you’re inside Class B air space, you don’t have a clearance to enter Class B, and you’re squawking the wrong code. Other than that, everything is just fine.” […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Over Southern California, United 202 requested direct to Winslow, Arizona from Southern California. Instead, Center gave him this: Center:“United 202, I’ve cleared direct St. Louis.” United 202:“Direct St. Louis. Thanks.” United 18 (foreseeing good fortune):“Center, United 18. Request direct – uh – er – anywhere.” Center:“United 18, expect […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Going from Virginia to Houston, Texas, I was diverting north of Memphis, Tennessee to get around a big storm front which was moving across the country. I planned a fuel stop at Jackson, Tennessee (MKL) and was on the back side of the front with just light rain […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Missed the beginning of this exchange, but you’ll get the point, I hope: Airplane 345:“We carry the University of XYZ men’s basketball team.” Center:“Ah, roger. I was just wondering about your call sign … .” 345:“We don’t like it any better than anyone else.” Center (laughing) :“Do [your […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Overheard on a busy Friday afternoon with Seattle Center/Approach: Center (handing off to Approach):“Cross JAXON at 8,000 and reduce speed to 250.” Airliner 123 (checking in):“Approach, will we have to slow to 250 knots at JAXON?” Center:“Airliner 123, I wish I could say no, but approach insists that […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Heard this somewhere over Kansas: Center:“Airline 312, traffic. Eleven o’clock, three miles, FL 310 Citation, westbound.” Airline 312:“We got `em on the pig finder.” N700AN:“Kansas City Center, Cheyenne Zero Alpha November. Request.” Center:“Go ahead.” N700AN:“Was that a ‘Papa-India-Golf finder’?” ATC:“It’s a TCAS.” Anonymous Voice:“That’s called a ‘Foxtrot-India-Sierra-Hotel finder.’” […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Some years ago at Des Moines, Iowa, I was holding in the run-up area when I heard the tower call an airliner: Tower:“Airliner 1234, cleared for takeoff. Runway 30 right.” Airliner:“Tower, we’re still waiting for our numbers.” Tower:“Roger, Airliner 1234. Cancel departure clearance; hold short of the runway.” […]