Rapid-Fire ATC Instructions On The Radio

Even the day before the show opens, the airfield gets busy. How busy? So busy that listening to the drumfire of ATC instructions is almost alarming, even when you are sitting safely on the ground, gripping a handheld radio. Here are some impressions from five minutes of monitoring.

The problem with monitoring ATC at Oshkosh is that it's as addictive as watching a campfire: bet you can't do it for just five minutes.

Given the aircraft volume, the controllers don't call individual callsigns, but they call airplanes by description. The duty controller is pretty much the only one speaking on the frequency, transmitting in the blind. Pilots are expected to comply, not reply (on the frequency, anyway; you acknowledge instructions by rocking your wings). But those pilots that don't quite follow instructions are chided gently, not rudely. And with a little, or sometimes more, humor.

"Canard, bring it down. Bring it down. Canard, descend, descend -- you gotta bring it down if you're gonna land."

"Spitfire, bring it in, Runway 27, cleared to land on the numbers."

"Taildragger, a Spitfire's going to pass you, bring it around tight. OK taildragger, clear to land."

"Comanche, hold your altitude, don't put it down, continue all the way to green dot, put it on the green dot for me."

"Spitfire, right turn onto the grass when able, follow the flagmen."

"Cessna, red and white Cessna, you're way too high. Oh, slip, that's beautiful. Put it on the orange dot."

"Taildragger, that was nice, good job. Right turn, follow the flagmen
to parking."

"Canard, you got it down. Right turn onto the grass, follow the
flagmen."

"Experimental, turn your base, keep it in tight, there's a plane in front of you, snuggle up nice and tight, he's gonna land, and you're going to the green dot."

Chaos? Without the controllers, it might be. With them, it's controlled chaos.

And all with the pacing and professionalism of a livestock auctioneer.

So bring a handheld to Oshkosh (or buy one from one of the vendors here -- you'll probably never get a better deal). But watch out for the addictive nature of monitoring 126.6 during AirVenture: the show does end next week, and withdrawal pains can be abominable.

FMI: www.airventure.org/atc