Short Final: Left Or Right

I was returning to Denver from some mountain and canyon flying in Idaho one busy Friday afternoon in July, headed towards my fuel stop in Vernal, Utah.

The summer monsoon pattern was firmly in place, and the weather radar was starting to show some activity throughout the region.

The first few Salt Lake controllers declined flight following, so I knew things must be getting bad up high.

As I flew across northern Utah and southern Wyoming, I was switched to a Salt Lake controller who seemed to have his hands full, juggling deviations from the various airliners in the sector.

After a number of rather long winded explanations from a few pilots requesting deviations around the weather, the harried controller made this transmission:

“Okay guys, I don’t need a long explanation, just deviation left or right!”

Evan Anderman

Denver, CO