On The Air: July 2014

While transitioning Salt Lake airportss Bravo airspace, we overheard an exchange between the controller and a pilot unfamiliar with the area. The pilot was having trouble understanding a routing change. Finally the controller said, That is Baldy intersection, Bravo Alpha Lima Delta Yankee. It is named after my supervisor.

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, July 29, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The aviation world features numerous humorous exchanges, misunderstandings, and lighthearted banter between pilots and air traffic controllers.
Airspace waypoints and intersections are sometimes named after local personalities, sports teams, or cultural references, adding a unique touch to navigation.
Even in the serious environment of air traffic control, human elements like bloopers, wit, and playful negotiation can arise during communication.

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While transitioning Salt Lake airports’s Bravo airspace, we overheard an exchange between the controller and a pilot unfamiliar with the area. The pilot was having trouble understanding a routing change. Finally the controller said, “That is Baldy intersection, Bravo Alpha Lima Delta Yankee. It is named after my supervisor.”
All was quiet after that.

H.C. Gibson
Colorado Springs, Colo.