Different airports can be named for, in, or near the same city, and this can be confusing for pilots. [Credit: iStock]
Key Takeaways:
Pilots, from students to professionals, frequently misidentify airports or runways due to multiple facilities serving a single city (e.g., Seattle, Spokane) or the visual similarity of close-proximity airports with similar runway alignments.
The article provides examples of confusion, such as mistaking Renton Municipal for Boeing Field, or Wittman Regional for Fond du Lac County Airport, highlighting that even experienced pilots can be susceptible.
To prevent such errors, pilots are advised to meticulously double-check exact airport identifiers, consult official FAA Chart Supplements for detailed information, utilize reliable online resources for nuances, and ensure clear communication when making radio calls.
The rule at the flight school was that the applicants would have at least two mock check rides in house before they paid $500 or more to a DPE for the real thing.
I was designated the check airman for a particular private pilot applicant. His CFI asked me to put the applicant through his paces, showing no mercy, to find the soft spots in his training. I accepted the assignment.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![Different airports can be named for, in, or near the same city, and this can be confusing for pilots. [Credit: iStock]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/shutterstock_557930557.jpg)
