Short Final

Submitted by a heavy iron driver… After landing on RWY 30 the other day I began to taxi to the gate when I noticed a beautiful red fox strolling across the taxiway. Me: Hey, Ground. Did you know you have foxes here on the airport? Ground: Oh, sure, plenty of them. I’m surprised you knew […]

I was practicing night landings when another aircraft departed the airport to the southeast. This is the communication I heard between that aircraft and the tower… Departing Aircraft: Uh, Tower, N1234. Are you talkin’ to this traffic out here? He’s headed straight for us. (short pause) Departing Aircraft: Scratch that … (timidly) … we’re looking […]

What to bring to the table when entering the pattern… ATC: N1234, confirm you have current ATIS. N1234: N1234 has Whiskey. (Unidentified pilot): In that case, welcome to the party!

Clarity in communication… ATC: N1234 traffic 1 o’clock, 6 miles. N1234: Right … uh … we’re in a cloud. (short pause) ATC: Then you won’t see her. N1234: Roger. Negative traffic, 234.

I was working on my multi-engine rating at an airport where the controllers had apparently grown very familiar with the routine for training flights. While on downwind in the Duchess with my instructor, I heard this: Controller: Bonanza 123AB you will be following a Duchess on downwind … he’s about to lose an engine.

On arrival at Key West I pulled my TBM 700 past the Taxi way hold short line and keyed the mic to say hello to ground… Me: Ground, we’re going to stop here to clean up a bit. Ground: Why? It looked like a great landing from here…

Winds 300 at 26… On a particularly windy day, I was in a skyhawk on right base for 35. Me: Wind check. Controller: Winds 300 at 26(pause)… We’ve got the trucks on standby.

(Be careful what you say, someone might be listening.) Several months ago, whilst assigned to the Tracon, an incident occurred which still causes great laughter throughout our community. It was a busy arrival session, the controller was working four VHF frequencies — including approaches into a satellite airport and two UHF frequencies. After sending numerous […]

Overheard during fleet week practice over the San Francisco Bay; Nor Cal Approach: Bonanza 1-2-3-4, opposite direction traffic at your 1 o’clock, five miles, five hundred feet above you, Blue Angels flight of two. Bonanza 1-2-3-4: Negative contact, say again type traffic. Nor Cal: Two F-18s, blue and yellow. Currently at your one moving to […]

While waiting to enter the taxiway in ONT, (California) an Airbus working for a major parcel carrier came face to face with our corporate 727 and the following conversation ensued: ONT Twr: Airbus 1234, where are you going today, sir? Airbus 1234: Right where that 727 is, and, uh, be advised our tail might be […]