Recently on the Kerrville ramp, there was a Challenger bizjet parked and secured. A Gulfstream was under tow to parking near the Challenger. The line person put the Gulfstream in place, unhooked the tug, but neglected to chock the wheels.
[You know what’s coming, right?] The Gulfstream started rolling and ultimately an engine collided with the windscreen and cockpit of the Challenger.
There were reports of a possible notice on the bulletin board at the FBO: “Wanted, line person/tug driver. Must have experience using chocks.”
—Peter Ingram, Kerrville, Texas
I used to live in the Metro DC area, and between the congested airspace and the numerous restricted and prohibited areas pretty much nobody was cleared direct. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that even Air Force One never got cleared direct!
To make the controllers and the ATC computer happy, when I was going west I used to file a flight plan with lots of airways, named fixes and VORs. But once Potomac Approach handed me off to Washington Center I’d check in and immediately request “direct destination” and most of the time I’d get it.
Then I moved to Ohio. Old habits die hard, so the first time we took a trip I filed a complicated route along Victor Airways. It was a VFR day, and when I cleared the traffic pattern I switched frequencies to Columbus Approach. The conversation went something like this:
Me: “Columbus Approach, Cardinal 7582V, ready to copy, IFR to destination.”
Columbus Approach: “7582V is cleared to destination as filed. Climb and maintain 6000.”
Me: “82V, cleared as filed, 6000, request.”
Columbus Approach: “82V, go ahead with your request.”
Me: “82V requests direct destination.”
Columbus Approach: (2 second pause) “82V, cleared direct destination, climb and maintain 6000. By the way, why didn’t you just file direct? We’d have given it to you.”
Me: “82V cleared direct, 6000. I just moved here from DC, and back there nobody ever filed direct and got away with it.”
Columbus Approach: “This isn’t the East Coast. People are nice out here.”
My wife, who’s a Midwesterner, couldn’t contain her laughter.
—Mark Klebanoff, Worthington, Ohio
Where’s My July Issue?
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Instead of the print copy of IFR, you should have received a print copy of the Ultimate Issue of FLYING Magazine. This is a special issue bringing together our sister aviation titles currently available under the Firecrown publishing umbrella. We’re confident you’ll find this issue interesting.
We are assured that this is a one-time event and that regular printing of IFR will resume and continue normally with this August 2024 issue. Thank you for your understanding.
We’ve run out. Reruns next month, unless… Please send us your cleverest or most embarrassing moment on the radio—or your favorite fix names or airport names—with a subject of “OTA,” to Frank@IFR-Magazine.com. Be sure to include your full name and location.
