Short Final

Overheard while flying practice approaches at Sioux City, Iowa: Tower: “Skylane Eight Seven Charlie, cleared for the approach; caution, waterfall in the area.” Short silence, presumably while the Skylane pilot questioned passengers on the transmission. Skylane: “Eight Seven Charlie, say again?” Tower: “Skylane Eight Seven Charlie, cleared for the approach; caution, waterfall in the area.” […]

Overheard in the vicinity of Buchanan tower in Concord, Calif.: Cessna: “Buchanan tower, this is Cessna One Two Three, seven south of Buchanan, 2000 feet, request transit, northbound.” Tower: “Cessna One Two Three, transition approved. Report clear.” Half minute pause, and then: “Tower, this is Cessna One Two Three; where is Clear?”

Returning to Princeton, N.J., 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: “New York approach, Seminole Two Two Eight, 5,000.” Approach: “Seminole Two Two Eight, Morristown altimeter 30.08. Proceed direct […]

Heard at Lawrence, Massachusetts: Tower: “Arrow Eight Two Xray, slowest possible speed. Traffic ahead is an ultralight on a half-mile final.” Ultralight: “Tower, we’ll climb out so he can land.” Tower: “Roger, climb and maintain 1700, runway heading. Arrow Eight Two Xray, cleared to land, caution, mowing in progress, right side of runwav.” Arrow: “Roger, […]

A short but sweet one from AVweb‘s sister publication IFR. Overheard on approach to a regional southern airport at eight minutes before the hour… Approach: Sundownner Two Lima Charlie, do you have information November? Sundowner 2LC: Uh, negative, we’re waiting for, uh, December.

While returning from a cross country into Ellington Field… Tower: Warrior 123, enter right downwind for 35L. Warrior 123: Roger, downwind 35L Tower: Warrior 123, wind calm, cleared for 22 if you like. Warrior 123: Roger. Cleared for 22. [Short pause] Warrior 123: Tower, am i cleared for 22? Because ther is a truck in […]

An oldie, but a goodie… I was behind a Grob 115 that checked in with the tower, holding short of the active, ready for takeoff, with a Shorts Skyvan on final. This is what happened next… Tower: Grob 123, sit tight. I’ll get you off just as soon as I get my shorts down. Tower: […]

“On a clear, crisp day, after a particular strong Southern California winter storm dropped the Jet Stream well south and at a low altitude, I flew my Mooney 231 from Santa Monica, California, to Scottsdale, Arizona. After Landing, I was sitting in the FBO talking about the 100-plus knot tailwind at 19,000 feet when another […]

A few years ago I was getting an IFR clearance from ground control. When I called for clearance I had a brain-fart and forgot where we were going. The conversation went like this: Me: Ground, Lear 1234 looking for clearance to ……. ummmmm …. that airport we’re going to. Ground: Lear 1234 cleared to that […]

The sound of cooperation. Departing out of Edmonton AB, CYXD, Friday 27 Sept 06 I was talking to departure and after getting north a way… City Center: Grumman RGG, I see you over [pause] I forgot the name of the town. RGG: Morinville City center: Right. Cleared enroute, radar service is terminated. City Center: Everybody […]