Short Final: Bounce

Many years ago and right after I had gotten my private ticket, I decided it would be “fun” to pick up one of my customers at Midway Airport. Of course I had been to towered fields before but not with heavy commercial traffic where the dreaded “Keep your speed up you’re being followed by a Southwest 737” was heard. I was flying a T210 Centurion and cleared the fence way, way too fast. I bounced like a pogo stick on the runway. When tower handed me off to ground he said, “Call Ground 121.65 and be prepared to copy a phone number to call the tower. I cleared you to land once not seven times.”

I changed over to ground with fear and trepidation of facing my first violation and was met with, “No number to call. He’s just yanking your chain. That was one hell of a bounce however.”

Stewart G. McMillan

Valparaiso, Indiana