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On The Air – April 2024

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Air traffic controllers often demonstrate a blend of professionalism, patience, and humor in their interactions, even with novice pilots.
  • Pilots can encounter unexpected and sometimes amusing situations, such as unknowingly participating in a training drill or being playfully denied complex flight procedures.
  • Controllers occasionally use creative or firm communication tactics to ensure flight safety, as seen when guiding a struggling student pilot.
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A couple of years ago I was getting back into IFR procedures after a time away from flying, and had just installed some fancy new avionics. I had been deliberately building the maximum number of procedures into each flight and obviously the local controllers had become familiar with my plans. So returning to my local airfield, Canberra International Airport, and changing from Centre to Approach the exchange was:

Me: “Canberra Approach, ABC maintaining 10,000, visual on top with Bravo.”

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