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If you’re like me, you’ve taken your share of “red eye” flights in the wee hours of the night. And if you’re as curious as me, you’ve tried to imagine what it is like for the pilots and ground personnel who are working diligently through those lonely hours while we relax comfortably in the darkened cabin. What must the conversations be like between the flight crew and ground control?
Well, wonder no more. Here, for your edification, is what that conversation might have sounded like during recent night flights into the Washington, D. C. area:
United flight 112: “United 112 to Reagan tower, requesting runway assignment and clearance, over.”
Reagan tower: “…zzzzzzzzzz…zzzzzzzzz….zzzzzzzz”
American flight 407: “Reagan tower, this is American 407 following United 112,. Request runway assignment and clearance, over.”
Reagan tower: ” …..zzzzzzzzzzzz……zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz”
American 407: “United 112, did you raise Reagan tower? I might have radio problem.”
United 112: “Negative American 407, no response. I’ll try again. Reagan tower, United 112, please come in.”
Reagan tower: “….zzzzzzzzzz……zzzzzzzzzzz…..zzzzzzzzzzz”
United 112: “Still no response American 407. Guess we’re on our own. Would you like to go first?”
American 407: “Nah, that’s OK United, you’ve come halfway across the country. I just came down from Boston. Do you see any open runways?”
United 112: “Number 26 looks kinda clear. I’ll give it a shot and let you know.”
Reagan tower: “……zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…….zzzzzzzzzzzzz”
Fascinating stuff, huh? Fly safe.
The Cvillean 
Reminds me of this one;
This is based on an actual radio conversation between a U.S. Navy
aircraft carrier (U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln) and Canadian authorities
off the coast of Newfoundland in October, 1995. (The radio
conversation was released by the Chief of Naval Operations on
10/10/95 authorized by the Freedom of Information Act.)
Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the South to
avoid collision.
Americans: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the
North to avoid a collision.
Canadians: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15
degrees to the South to avoid a collision.
Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again,
divert YOUR course.
Canadians: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.
Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND
LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES’ ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE
ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS
SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES
NORTH–I SAY AGAIN, THAT’S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH–OR
COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.
Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.
As we used to say in the Navy….. constant bearing, decreasing range…..not good.
Lol
Lol, these things do happen. I’ve recently read a book called Outliers, which has a few chapters on plane crashes. A good read, but probably not ideal when we were in Egypt, about to fly home….
Do you remember when this happened?
No… My aircraft carrier one is fiction too….
On a serious note, that could have been really tragic. Most people would never fly a commercial flight that just had one pilot. why should manning the ground control be any different?
My guess is that what really happened isn’t far from your version. :o) Happy flying!