Betcha every one of we old airplane pilots have more than one story about air-traffic controllers—the Federal Aviation employees in the airport tower. The people who radio you when and where to take-off and land.
Already wrote about the Abilene tower controller whose radio stopped a two-engine commercial airplane from taxiing into our Maxine beginning her solo flight.
A few years later from the same control tower, a rookie controller got confused.
Some thirty private pilots caught a dust-storm tail wind from Amarillo—where they had watched a 1950’s Abilene High football team advance to the state championship. At dusk most started radioing the tower for permission to land.
When the rookie tower operator, seeking identification, radioed “turn on your lights,” the northern sky brightened. Overwhelmed, the rookie controller radioed “use your own judgment when to land.”
Pilots organized their landing order, started landing. Fast two-engine plane almost landed atop a single-engine aircraft. Didn’t. And other pilots found their place in landing order.
Stories about under-trained tower controllers now news in 2023. Still makes me uneasy. Reminds me that I’m glad I wasn’t radioing for permission that December dusky Saturday. Proud I flew with those pilots who knew when to land.
Hope Washington doesn’t forget: the guys from government are supposed to be “here to help you.”
Photo by Sirbouman at Shutterstock
