Comedy in Flight

Normally, airplanes fly parallel to the runway they intend to land on and are asked to report when they are at the midpoint of the runway. It is at this time that they are given landing clearance, or when they have to follow one or more aircraft, a “sequence” or numbered order in which to land and the pilot is told the type aircraft to look for to follow.

The staff of Hartford-Brainard Tower are masters of keeping order and amazing at keeping their sense of humor, as was shown one beautiful winter Saturday afternoon when, after about 30 minutes of constant arrivals and departures, there were 6 planes in the traffic pattern that the tower controller was keeping track of as they practiced landings.

After making space for some departures, clearing the airplane on final approach to land, and telling the second airplane approaching to land (a Piper Tomahawk) that he was following the one on final and thus he was “Number 2 for the airport”, the controller, who was really on top of things, then called the next plane, a Cessna, before the flight instructor who had been working the radio could report his position:

Brainard Tower: “Cessna 356ES, you’re number one in my heart, but you’re number 3 in the pattern behind the Tomahawk, cleared to land.”

Cessna 356ES: “Awe, now I’m blushing, and cleared to land. Thanks 356ES.”