Short Final: The Lighter Side of Flight

I was a controller at Albany Georgia tower back in the ’70s, and a Cherokee was on downwind, with the instructor introducing his student to radio procedures. Fortunately for me, their intercom locked on for a bit and I got all the dialog between the student and the instructor. It went like this: instructor:“Say ‘Albany tower.'” student pilot:“Ah – Al-Albany tower?” instructor:“‘This is Cherokee 76 Whiskey.'” student:“This is – is – Ch-Cherokee – ?” instructor:“’76 Whiskey.'” student:“Seven – 76 Whiskey?” instructor:“‘We are on left downwind for runway 22, touch and go.'” student:“We are on – ?” instructor:“… ‘Left downwind for 22.'” student:“Left down-downwind -“ instructor:“… ‘Downwind for 22, touch and go.'” student:“I don’t want to learn to fly no more!” Richard Pikevia e-mail

Editorial Staff

Updated Apr 12, 2019 1:59 AM EDT

I was a controller at Albany Georgia tower back in the '70s, and a Cherokee was on downwind, with the instructor introducing his student to radio procedures. Fortunately for me, their intercom locked on for a bit and I got all the dialog between the student and the instructor. It went like this:

instructor:
"Say 'Albany tower.'"

student pilot:
"Ah - Al-Albany tower?"

instructor:
"'This is Cherokee 76 Whiskey.'"

student:
"This is - is - Ch-Cherokee - ?"

instructor:
"'76 Whiskey.'"

student:
"Seven - 76 Whiskey?"

instructor:
"'We are on left downwind for runway 22, touch and go.'"

student:
"We are on - ?"

instructor:
"... 'Left downwind for 22.'"

student:
"Left down-downwind -"

instructor:
"... 'Downwind for 22, touch and go.'"

student:
"I don't want to learn to fly no more!"