On The Air: October 2018

Last week my wife and I departed Deer Valley Airport, in Phoenix in our Cessna 177RG. Before departing we received a complicated taxi clearance to what looked like a parking lot at the end the active runway. Deer Valley calls itself the busiest general aviation airport in the country with lots of flight training. The parking lot was just a run-up area, able to handle lots of planes.

Editorial Staff

Sunday, September 16, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The article compiles several short, humorous anecdotes showcasing unique and often witty exchanges between pilots and air traffic controllers on aviation radio.
Stories include unusual ATC procedures, lighthearted banter, comedic misunderstandings, and unexpected events like an animal on a runway.
Collectively, the anecdotes highlight the human element, personality, and occasional quirks found within the aviation community during flight communications.

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Last week my wife and I departed Deer Valley Airport, in Phoenix in our Cessna 177RG. Before departing we received a complicated taxi clearance to what looked like a parking lot at the end the active runway. Deer Valley calls itself “the busiest general aviation airport in the country” with lots of flight training. The “parking lot” was just a run-up area, able to handle lots of planes.

There weren’t that many planes when we were departing but for my wife and me it was like “The Twilight Zone” in that the tower would clear an airplane we could see ahead of us to the active runway with either a “line up and wait” or “cleared for takeoff” using a different number other than the plane’s N number. It was confusing.