Short Final

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” This comes from a search and rescue pilot at Canadian Forces Base in Bagotville, Quebec. It happened late one night during bad weather, as heard over the tower radio: Helicopter pilot: Roger, I’m holding at 3,000 feet over the beacon. Second voice: (Panic in voice) No, you can’t […]

Overheard in IFR Magazine‘s “On the Air” En route from San Antonio to Kerville, Texas, I let my 19-year-old private-pilot-rated daughter run the radios: Piper Six Seven Romeo: Center, Piper Six Seven Romeo. Center: Piper Six Seven Romeo, go ahead. Piper Six Seven Romeo: Request flight following. Center: Piper Six Seven Romeo, state your location, […]

The following exchange took place enroute to opening day at Sun ‘n’ Fun last April: Bonanza: Jacksonville Center, Bonanza Two Zero Yankee. 11,000. Center: Bonanza Two Zero Yankee, Roger, Jacksonville altimeter 30.12. Bonanza: Are you working a lot of traffic to Lakeland this afternoon? Center: I’ll tell you what — if you fell out of […]

Heard on Denver approach frequency Approach: Great Lakes One Twenty Three, traffic six o’clock, two miles, 1000 feet above you, a 737. Great Lakes: Approach, Great Lakes One Twentv-Three, if I told you I could see him, I’d be lyin’. Approach: If you told me you could see him, you’d be my mother, ’cause you’d […]

Overheard recently at BWI: Baltimore Tower: Cirrus 123, your remarks section says you’re an Indy fan. Cirrus 123: Well, no not really, I’m originally from Baltimore, and you know how that story goes. Baltimore Tower: You’re a Ravens fan then? Cirrus 123: No. Baltimore Tower: Ah. A Colts fan, wherever they happen to be? Cirrus […]

Returning to Princeton, New Jersey in a Seminole, I was proudly clipping along at 140 knots and can only assume that my deep voice and professional-sounding tone led to us appearing to be more than we were: Seminole Two Two Eight: “New York approach, Seminole Two Two Eight, 5,000.” Approach: “Seminole Two Two Eight, Morristown […]

Returning to Republic Airport in Farmingdale, N.Y., on New Year’s Day, I heard the following exchange between the tower controller and the pilot of a Piper Arrow: Arrow: “Republic tower, Arrow Three Four Five, eight miles north, inbound with India.” Tower: “Arrow Three Four Five, report right downwind Runway 32.” Arrow: “Any chance we can […]

Twas the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp,Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ.The aircraft were fastened to tiedowns with care,In hopes that come morning, they all would be there.The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots,With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots.I slumped at the fuel desk, now […]

We were flying from Chatham, Massachusetts to Nantucket with flight following from Cape approach. The weather was marginal VFR with heavy haze and reasonably poor visibility when out of the mist we heard this on the air: Cape approach: “Cessna Four Five Six, are you aware that you are heading toward a restricted area?” Cessna: […]

We were in our Seneca performing the pre-takeoff run-up at Orlando Executive Airport when we heard this exchange on ground control frequency: Cessna: Orlando ground, Cessna Two Three Four, clear of the active. Ground: Cessna Two Three Four, taxi to the ramp. Cessna (still on ground frequency but thinking he’d switched to unicom 122.95): Executive […]