Departing north from Moorabbin (YMMB) on a warm summer's day, in a very tired rental Arrow, I was cleared to climb in class C over the busy approach to Melbourne. Centre: "ABC, cleared to Eildon Weir; climb 7,500." [shortly thereafter ...] Centre: "ABC, maintain best rate of climb." Me: "Best rate? I'm pedaling as fast as I can." Andrew Fry via e-mail More
Several years ago, as the volume of traffic was increasing at BNA, an American Eagle flight received and acknowledged an incorrect altimeter setting. After mentioning it to ground control, he added: "Well, up-periscope and taxi to the ramp!" Rich Mays via e-mail More
This didn't happen on the radio but was a texting classic. The weather was tough, and we needed just a bit of Jet A. And we always take prist. Apparently, autocorrect saw the gravity of the situation. As I texted the other pilot, it came out as: "We need 200 gals. Jet A with priest." Curt Brown via e-mail More
Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK elevation: 303 feet) with a long-standing glider club on the field recently began tower operations. After the tower had been operating for about a week, on a relatively busy Saturday afternoon, I heard this exchange: Glider: "Frederick Tower, Glider XXX at 1,600 feet inbound for a right downwind for landing runway 12 with information Sierra ... ." Tower: "Glider XXX, Frederick Tower. Hold your altitude. I have a few ahead of you." Glider: "Frederick Tower, I'm a glider." Tower: "Glider XXX, cleared to land, runway 12." Lance Nuckolls via e-mail More
Flying my 172 near McGuire Air Force Base on Sunday, VFR with flight following from McGuire Approach. Two Air Force DC-10 tankers were practicing approaches as I flew by, and I offered to climb to stay out of their way. The controller asked me to climb and maintain 2,500 feet. Approach: "TAC 1, turn left, heading 330. Intercept the ILS 24, maintain 2,000' until established. Traffic is a 172 above you at 2,500'. Caution: wake turbulence." (Silence on the frequency. Did I hear right?) TAC 1: "Ahhh, Approach -- say again the traffic?" Approach (a new voice) : "TAC 1, disregard wake turbulence warning. Cleared for the approach." Me in my 172: "McGuire, 4RP. Why did you cancel the other guy's wake turbulence warning? You just made my day!" Approach: "Sorry about that, but I had to. I'm the only one here who can talk right now we're all laughing so hard!" Rabbi Don Weber Morganville, NJ More
On a Young Eagles flight recently, the 8-year-old girl sitting in the right seat asked me what why I had a switch for "rotting bacon." Confused, I asked her to point to it. Then I said, "Oh, that's for the rotating beacon!" I'm going to use that term from now on. Rich Oleszczuk via e-mail More
About ten airplanes from a local air park descended on the usually quiet Grand Prarie Muni (Texas) for Sunday breakfast. Afterward, we heard this exchange: Controller (somewhat exasperated) : "Did you guys all take off together?" Unidentified Pilot: "No. We actually took off one at a time ... ." Steve Wilson via e-mail More
Listening to the radio in our hangar, we heard the following exchange. After landing at KSTS, a pilot requested to taxi to his hangar. He was given specific instructions and was cleared to his hangar. About 30 seconds later, we heard: Mooney 432XX: "Santa Rosa Ground, this is Mooney 432XX with a request." Ground: "Mooney 432XX, say request." Mooney 432XX: "I'd like to change my taxi destination to the shade hangars. I see someone over there who owes me money." Ground: "Change in destination approved. Good luck." Ten seconds later, we heard: Mooney 432XX: "Santa Rosa Ground, this is Mooney 432XX with a second request." Ground: "Mooney 432XX, say request." Mooney 432XX: "If a Citabria requests permission to taxi, please deny request." Ground: "You're a Mooney; you should be able to outrun him." Scott Peterson via e-mail More
En route over central Florida, we heard the following exchange between Jacksonville Center or Approach (can't remember which) and a Cessna approaching its destination: Jax Center: "1234AB, do you have information 'Hotel'?" 1234AB: "Uh, nah, sir, we don't need it. Thanks, but we're stayin' with some friends down in New Smyrna." Jax Center: "1234AB, negative. Advise if you have ATIS information 'Hotel,' please." 1234AB (after a pause) : "Uh, Jax Center, like I say, we don't need any hotel information. We've already got a place to stay down in New Smyrna." Jax Center: "4AB, I'm not giving you hotel information. I need you to advise that you have ATIS information 'Hotel' at [landing airport]." [Several moments of silence.] Jax Center: "Cessna 1234AB, Jacksonville Center." 1234AB: "4AB. Go ahead." Jax Center: "Did you copy the request for ATIS information 'Hotel'?" 1234AB: "No, sir, I did not -- 'cause I don't need it. Like I already told you, we got a place to stay already down in New Smyrna!" Jax Center: "1234AB, go to 123.45, listen to the recording you will hear, and return to this frequency to advise you've heard what is on that frequency." 1234AB: "4AB: 123.45 -- roger. So long, sir." A frequeny change of our own prevented us from learning if 4AB ever did receive Hotel, but we trust their stay in New Smyrna was a pleasant one. A. Tipps via e-mail More
Flying a Piper Lance from Santa Fe to Scottsdale in severely turbulent winds, someone on the radio asked ATC a question. Unidentified Pilot: "Is there anyone flying out there in this stuff?" ATC: "Yes. One other aircraft." Unidentified Pilot: "At what altitude?" ATC: "Well, he's assigned 10,500, but he's anywhere between 9,500 and 11,500." Leonard Hendleman via e-mail More
Although AOPA’s Summit show in Fort Worth this week may mark the end of an era, it didn’t necessarily feel like that in the exhibit hall on Friday. Foot traffic was up and down throughout the show and vendors we're mulling their next moves for show attendance. More
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Brian Snider of Alliston, ON (Canada) went all the way to Croatia to bring back our latest blue ribbon photo.
