On The Air: February 2021

IFR Staff

Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 12:11 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilot-controller interactions are shaped by a range of factors, including unusual natural phenomena (e.g., massive fire clouds) and external crises (e.g., pandemic-related procedural changes).
The professionalism and helpfulness of air traffic controllers can vary widely, from patient guidance for unfamiliar pilots to notably dismissive attitudes toward certain aircraft.
Radio communication sometimes includes unique or memorable exchanges, such as controllers requesting photos of unusual weather or using informal descriptions to assist pilots.

See a mistake? Contact us.

We flew a trip from San Jose, California to Omaha, Nebraska during the worst of the fire season last year. We were at
FL390 in our Phenom 300, looking at a huge pyroclastic cumulonimbus that was building over the Rockies from a fire near Denver.

The Denver Center controller was amazed that jets in the high flight levels were diverting around this cloud, and he wanted to see pictures. He asked any pilots in the area to send him photos of the cloud, and he spelled out his FAA email address over the ARTCC frequency.