Star Wars Episode 2
In March 2021, we delved into Star Wars Episode 1 in the JJEDI TWO ARRIVAL (RNAV) into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport. In the tradition of the Star Wars series of movies, there is more to this arrival in Star Wars Episode 2:
LLNDO (Lando Calrissian) was a smuggler and gambler who later became a general in the Rebel Alliance and ended up as an entrepreneur. He was the original owner of the MELNM Falcon. Owen Lars (LARZZ) was a moisture farmer who harvested excess humidity from the atmosphere in the desert planet Tatooine and eventually became the step-brother of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker.
AADEN Morren was a Resistance officer who was killed by two T.I.E (Twin Ion Engine) fighters (TYFTR). A T.I.E. fighter was the imperial starfighter throughout most of the Galactic Civil War. Not to be outdone by the TYFTR is the XWNNG which were heavily armed starfighters with four laser cannons and proton torpedo launchers. (Might be a good addition to my Mooney!) Larin Moxla (LAIRI) was a Special Forces Republic trooper of the Blackstar Squad who snitched on her superior and was then known as Toxic Moxla.
For more “fictional” characters, Boba Fett (BBFET) was a clone and was one of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy during the Imperial Era. Additionally, there were many droids in the Star Wars movie series such as the well-known C-3PO and R2-D2 but they were not mentioned. However, the arrival in KATL did mention the DT-series Imperial SenTRy (DTSTR) droids utilized by the Galactic Empire and who served aboard Imperial vessels as guards and in combat units.
If you want to get the $200 hamburger, consider going to the Planet Hoth (HOTHH) which is a remote and very cold planet which hosted Echo Base, temporary HQ of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. The Battle of Hoth was also fought there.
Luca Bencini-Tibo
Weston, Florida
My home airport, Orange County Airport in New York’s Hudson Valley, hosts a very busy flight school. I overheard the following while on the departure leg:
Cessna 1234: “Cessna 1234, straight in, one-mile final, practice ILS 04.”
Diamond 2345 (Halting student pilot voice): “Diamond 2345, turning base, four-mile final, Runway 04, behind the Cessna.”
Bonanza 5671: “Bonanza 5671, midfield downwind Runway 4. Checking fuel status…”
Daniel Spitzer
Piermont, New York
I’m from Massachusetts (the North) and in the mid 1960s, flying cross-country from Daytona Beach to an airport near Tampa Florida (the South), I passed by the Orlando airport and tuned the frequency for a brand-new reporting system named ATIS.
I caught the recorded transmission about halfway and heard the following:
“Temperature 28. Dew point 10. Landing Runway 36. When contacting Orlando tower report you have received information, excuse the expression, Yankee.”
Marc Nathanson
Littleton, Massachusetts
Overheard near Baltimore:
Corporate jet: “Can I get the number to cancel on the ground?”
Potomac Approach: “Standby while I get that.”
Corporate jet: “If you say 867-5309, I won’t believe you.”
Potomac Approach: “Say again. I missed that.”
Corporate jet: “Never mind. You’re probably too young.”
Potomac Approach: “Uh, okay. Phone number is…”
Maybe the controller was indeed too young to remember the popular 1980s Tommy Tutone song.
Ted Lester
Somerville, Massachusetts
Heard somewhere over Kansas:
Center: “American 745, contact Kansas City on 118.12”
American 745: “Was that eighteen twelve for American 745?”
Center: “American 745, yes, eighteen twelve, as in ‘The War Of.’”
Elliott Cox
Clover, South Carolina
