Short Final

Each week in “Short Final,” we select the strangest, funniest, or most unusual thing AVweb readers have heard over the radio — either from other pilots or coming directly from the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower. Click through to listen in as this week’s winner makes his way across the taxiway.

An AA jet landed in ORD in the early morning before the beginning of a typical busy day. Expecting the usual complex taxi instructions, they instead had the following exchange:

American 123:
"Morning, O'Hare Ground. American 123 clearing 32 left for K8."

O'Hare Ground Control:
"American 327, O'Hare Ground. Good morning. Taxi to the gate."

[Long pause.]

American 123:
"Do you care how we get there?"

O'Hare Ground Control:
"Just stay off the grass, and don't cross any runways."

T. J. A.
via e-mail