Air Traffic Control

Recently overheard on Fargo (N.D.) Approach Control frequency:
"Cessna One Alpha Bravo, you have unidentified traffic at 2 o'clock, three miles, altitude unknown, over the railroad tracks. Very slow moving primary target, might be a helicopter."

(Long pause.)

"Might be a train."

Gotta love the ATC guys. There they all are, all warm in their tower as us pilots shiver in our cockpits, sitting at the end of Runway 14, waiting for takeoff clearance. I'm sitting there at the hold-short line, holding short, while big bad ATC sips their coffee and then finally decides to clear us.

I use to be afraid of the ATC. It was the old fear that if I said something wrong in the mike, they'd shoot a missile out of the tower and kill me or something. Now its so much easier. Just say what you need to say and if you screw up, oh well. Its not as scary anymore. They're just regular guys in a tower, drinking coffee, and holding me short of the runway.

"You've flown 23.7 hours and 53 landings in the past 90 days." -Skyscheduler

J Kuhl Signing Off