Short Final: Other Than That…

I was driving to my hangar at Manchester Airport one really nasty, windy and turbulent day. I had no plans to actually fly. I overheard, and coincidentally was able to watch, a Mitsubishi MU‑2 land on Runway 35. You could see him wrestling with the wind all the way in. I was listening to Live ATC, and heard the following exchange after he landed:

Manchester Tower: “Mitsubishi 60 Kilo Charlie, turn right at Bravo, right on Hotel, stay with me.”

Mitsubishi 60KC: “Right at Bravo, Kilo Charlie. It's a %#^$ ride down final today, I’ll tell you.”

Manchester Tower: “I was just going to ask, say ride on final.”

Mitsubishi 60KC: “Well we had a … believe it or not, a 50‑knot tailwind on base at 2000 feet. And, ah, coming down below 2000 on final it was moderate, bordering on ah … severe in a couple of spots, it was just nasty.”

Manchester Tower: “Turbulence? Moderate to severe turbulence below 2000?”

Mitsubishi 60KC: “Yeah, occasional, and ah, we had about 20 knots coming down final.”

Manchester Tower: [Double mic click to acknowledge]

There was a long pause, and then:

Mitsubishi 60KC: “Other than that, not bad!”

John Cotton

Windham, NH