Getting the automated ATIS voice to say the right thing frequently makes it funny in a text version of the ATIS. At San Francisco, a NOTAM regarding AT&T Park on the text version became, “Eight Tee and Tee Park.”
Rick Sanders
San Francisco
On The Air: August 2017
I was flying with a particularly weak student doing off-airport operations. We were combining high-altitude ops with a pinnacle approach to Pleasants Peak, at 4007 MSL. I wanted this student to call SoCal Approach for a brief bit of flight following to the mountain. I told my student exactly what to say to SoCal. SoCal Approach, this is helicopter 8490D, 5 south of Pleasants Peak for flight following at 4000 feet.
Key Takeaways:
- The article presents several humorous anecdotes from aviation, including an automated ATIS mispronouncing "AT&T Park" and a student pilot requesting an overly precise altitude.
- It showcases witty and lighthearted exchanges between pilots and air traffic controllers, often sparked by unexpected situations, student errors, or controller changes.
- Incidents like a controller asking a pilot "What are you doing in there?" during heavy rain and a new controller claiming to be "better" illustrate the human element and humor in flight communications.
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