Say Again?

I had this great idea, see. I’m always getting questions like, “What’s it like being a controller?” and, “So, what does a Safety Rep. do, exactly?” I never really have a good answer for either of those. At least, not an answer that I can give in less than a minute. So I thought I’d […]

Welcome back aviation fans. Your friendly safety rep here, Mr. Sunshine. I’m pleased to report to you that all is well and everything is coming up roses. Everyone on both sides of the mic has heeded my advice and we are all using perfect phraseology. Controllers are sticking to all the procedures and the pilots […]

At the risk of stating the obvious, before you can use your airplane to explore the wild blue yonder you must first get off the ground. As simple as that may first appear, there are all sorts of questions to answer if you want to depart IFR. While many of you enjoy the approach control […]

As I was rummaging around in my brain for some interesting stories to amuse pilots, I kept coming across the same thing again and again: Maiden. It dawned on me that much of my career has revolved around Maiden. From the day I walked in the door at Atlanta Center, to the present day, Maiden […]

Let me make this clear right up front. I hate thunderstorms. I loathe them. I despise them. I’d rather work 10 years of wintertime IFR- icing, bad rides and all – than work one more season of thunderstorms in Atlanta Center. I’d rather take a beating and get it over with. After a day of […]

Welcome back, class. For those that cut the last session, you can review it here. For the rest of you, here’s a quick review of the highlights from the last session. We covered beacon code assignments, handoffs, initial callups and student pilots using ATC services. In this session we’ll build upon those subjects, explore some […]

Since I’ve been writing this column I’ve been reading various and assorted publications about aviation just as I always have. I try to stay abreast of what is going on the the industry and how it might affect ATC. Writing this column has given me another perspective as I read. I’ve always questioned whether most […]

Remember when the holidays meant a big turkey dinner at Grandma’s? The table would be overflowing with family, friends, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. That used to mean about a two- or three-hour drive. Now it means we agonize over when and where we fly. Do we visit my wife’s parents on Thanksgiving or do […]

Up until this point I’ve been having fun writing this column. This installment isn’t going to be fun, at least for me. This is my third attempt at writing this particular column. I’ve been looking for a way to take the sting out of telling someone that they are doing something wrong. If anyone could […]

I had a nightmare the other night. Boy, I hate those things. In this one, I could “see” through the eyes of a new trainee. Weird huh? Anyway, this trainee comes strutting around the corner of the control room, full of vim and vigor, and the first thing he sees is this old beat-up guy […]