This happened just three days ago, during instrument training, while copying and reading back a clearance for only the second time ever.
Clearance Delivery (after I’d read back my clearance correctly) :
“Readback correct. What runway, and how long?”
Me:
“Runway 03, and it’s 4,200 feet long.”
I can only imagine what the controller said at that time. My instructor keyed in immediately to clear things up.
Brian Smith
via e-mail
Ed. Note: We’ve had more than our usual share of chuckles from “Short Final” entries these last couple of weeks, but it’s rare that pilots – even student pilots – ‘fess up to being the culprits in the telling.