Short Final

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Last July, on a 90-degree-plus day, in my Cessna 150 just 30 minutes fuel burn below gross, in IMC and at the already unbelievable altitude of 5,000 feet, Saginaw Approach made this request: Saginaw Approach: Four Five Uniform, I need you to climb and maintain 7,000. Cessna 45U: […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Overheard at the Shreveport Downtown (KDTN) Airport, from a student pilot still very green on the radio. N3AB: Uh, Downtown Ground, this is Cessna Three Alpha Bravo, will be taxiing to the north practice area, negative radar. Downtown Ground [amused]: Cessna Three Alpha Bravo, I guess that would […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Overheard at DFW: Dallas/Fort Worth Clearance Delivery: Nine Eight Two Sierra Yankee stand by to copy clearance. N982SY: Nine Eight Two Sierra Yankee ready to copy. Clearance Delivery: Nine Eight Two Sierra Yankee is cleared direct Rockport, after departure fly runway heading at or below 2,000 expect 10,000 […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Overheard on Chicago Center at 4 a.m., with a female controller working a frequency with almost no traffic. Cessna 3AB: Cessna Three Alpha Bravo, radio check. Chicago Center: Youre loud and clear Three Alpha Bravo. Cessna 3AB: Not too busy this morning? Center: Its not even four oclock. […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Overheard while flying into Troutdale, Ore. (KTTD) Class D airspace. N338BV: Three Three Eight Bravo Victor, inbound, 3000 level, three miles, full stop. Troutdale Tower: Three Three Eight Bravo Victor cleared straight-in Runway 25. Wind 270 at seven. N338BV: Do you want me on a right- or left-hand […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Overheard on Little Rock Airport’s (KLIT) clearance delivery frequency. King Air N1234: Little Rock clearance this is King Air N1234 with a request. Clearance delivery: Go ahead. King Air N1234: I have been trying to file a flight plan with Lockheed for more than 30 minutes. Could you […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” I was flying a Cirrus SR22, introducing the plane to a CFI interested in seeing it in action. We were still about 20 miles out, but the controller was working us into the sequence with other planes, mostly trainers, setting up for practice approaches: Seattle Approach: Cirrus Seven […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” There is an approach into San Francisco (KSFO) known as the Quiet Bridge Visual. During this approach, commercial operators fly to the bridge and match up with another aircraft for the parallel runway. NorCal Approach: United Four Five Three, report traffic 10 oclock one mile, a Skywest Brasilia […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Overheard while flying through Boston Approach’s airspace one Sunday evening: Boston Approach: Piper Four Five Mike, are you a single or twin? Piper 45M: I am a single with twin envy. Boston: Say again? Piper 45M (slightly wistfulsounding): Piper Four Five Mike is a single-engine piston.

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” Overheard between a Cessna 310 driver and Chicago Center. Chicago Center: Cessna One Two Three Five Bravo, Ill bring you in a little high so I dont lose radar contact while vectoring you to the ILS. Do you think youll have any problem losing the necessary altitude to […]