Recently on a long cross country, when I was given a frequency change and I switched to the new frequency, I overheard the tail end of what sounded like an instrument training flight asking for some practice approaches:
ATC: “Trainer 999, say approach request.”
Trainer 999: “Oh, we’re gonna let you have the fun. You pick the approaches.”
Without skipping a beat, the controller responded dryly, “Trainer 999, expect the VOR Runway xx approach…”
We were thinking that in this age of GPS everything, an assigned VOR approach could be quite challenging.
Sal Cruz
Watsonville, California
Flying to Teterboro Airport from the southwest we overheard an exchange between New York Approach and a Citation Jet.
Approach: “Citation 123 say airspeed.”
Citation 123: “Two Zero Zero.”
Approach: “Can you go any faster?”
Citation 123: “Negative.”
Approach: “Is it because of the Bravo?”
Citation 123: “Affirmative.”
Approach: “We don’t do that here, go 250.”
David Ovad
Leesburg, Virginia
I was flying along, monitoring CTAFs and heard the following:
“Penn Ridge, Penn Ridge, use caution. Use caution. Multiple parachutes in the air near Penn Ridge. Use caution.”
Immediately thereafter, “Skydiving in progress over Brookhaven. Bombs Away!”
Followed by, “Cross Keys, Yay Hooray. Skydiving All Day. Please Stay Away!”
Then, me to New York Approach: “Are they dropping bodies over Gardner?”
Approach: “Huh? Say again.”
Approach obviously hadn’t been privy to any of the prior radio calls!
Daniel Spitzer
Piermont, New York
My wife and I were flying from Shreveport, Louisiana, to Missoula, Montana, in late spring. We were at FL240-260 in a JetProp. The weather was mostly clear but turbulent—choppy to light. We usually leave at dawn in an attempt (unsuccessful this day) to avoid this.
My wife, Dianne, is an enthusiastic workout “fanatic.” She wears an Apple Watch daily. Counts steps walking and during other daily endeavors. When we landed in Missoula she said, “Look at this. I’ve done 3200 steps and haven’t lifted a finger except to turn pages in my book!”
Guess turbulence does have some “benefits.”
We’ve had this occur on several trips, especially in the mountainous west.
Cliff Coffman
Shreveport, Louisiana
While en route to KFPR (Fort Pierce/Treasure Coast), located just three miles from the beach, I received the following clearance when six miles NE, over the ocean. Two of us were on board as we approached the ocean shoreline from the northeast. We both had the same “interpretation” and reaction to the tower clearance—looking for traffic!
Treasure Coast Tower: “Arrow 316 enter right downwind for RWY 10R, follow the beach.”
Arrow 316: “Enter right downwind RWY 10R, follow the Beech—traffic not in sight!”
Treasure Coast Tower: “Arrow 316 follow the beach shoreline then enter right downwind RWY 10R.”
Arrow 316: “Ocean shoreline then right downwind for RWY 10R.”
Ray Liles
Melbourne, Florida
I heard the following on CTAF at Ruby airport in Ruby, Alaska:
Aircraft 1: “Ruby traffic this here is Jackson and I’m gonna land.”
Another plane on the ground taxing for take-off called, “Ahh Jackson, what’s your location?”
Aircraft 1: “I am at this little bitty pond that looks like a duck!”
Aircraft on the ground: “Ahh Jackson, can you be more specific?”
Aircraft 1: “Daffy Duck.”
Only in Alaska, I guess.
Jim Gibertoni
Fairbanks, Alaska
