Short Final: Break Out

One day I landed at Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field), Washington, after doing some practice approaches in nice actual benign IMC. After I had landed, tower kept me on their…

One day I landed at Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field), Washington, after doing some practice approaches in nice actual benign IMC. After I had landed, tower kept me on their frequency as I taxied to the hangar. Just before shutting down, they asked: “N30322, when did you break out?”

To which I replied, “I don’t remember, it was when I was in my teens. Maybe when I was 13 or 14? But Clearasil worked wonders. Oh, wait, you wanted bases. Maybe 1700MSL?”

They replied without missing a beat, “Thanks for the base report and a 7.8 for the joke.”

Eric Berman

Woodinville, Washington