Tower: "Take down this number"

NOLA Pilot

NOLA Pilot

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NOLA Pilot
How many of us have heard this?

Was in a situation with a Citation on parallel runways as a yuong student (10-12 lessons). The tower was pi**ed.

Tower: Citation ??? Do you have a pen?

Citation: yes ???

Tower: Take down this number and call as soon as you land.
 
Perhaps they just wanted to chat???

If the pilot actually had some sort of violation, you should've heard "Citation 12345, possible pilot deviation, advise you contact (facility) at (phone #)."
 
My friend was PIC in his 150 and I was right seat coming back into a Class D field. We arrived at the normal VFR reporting point heading southbound and called in. Tower immediately came back with "Traffic 12 o'clock, northbound, your altitude, 1 mile". My friend keyed the mike to respond and I saw the Mooney at way less then a mile in the windshield closing head on and, as promised, at our altitude. I shoved the yoke forward to miss him by the proverbial "50 ft" while my friend expressed his surprise in a very adult fashion into the open mic.

The tower then gave us a number to copy which, with typical trepidation, we did.

Turned out that they were giving us the opportunity for recommending the controller that called the traffic for some sort of commendation.

I no longer head for VFR reporting points but stay 5 miles or so offset.
 
They must be buddies, probably wanted to invite him over for dinner. :)

In reality, getting "the number" isn't usually something you want to hear. What kind of situation occurred prior to this?
 
"N123 I have a number for you to call"
UyHrWY1.gif
 
Then again, it might not be a bad thing either. Maybe the controller wants to clarify something in the conversation, or explain why you should fly closer to the VFR reporting point while calling over the reporting point.

I got a call the tower from a girl at Salt Lake City. I found out the transponder was not working because she could not find me on the screen, and because of that she actually yelled at me over the frequency. I told her to calm down and act like a professional, which led to the phone call request. It was a three way call with her and the shift manager, and she got a good talking to as to why she should not have acted unprofessional. And while on the phone I got instructions on how to leave the area without a working transponder. (hint: VFR)
 
Got that one time when arriving at the home drome. Had flown from RDU and the ground controller keyed in the tail number incorrectly for our flight following. We got dropped somewhere around Charlotte and got picked up again. Somehow they got two of us in the system or something like that and were very confused and wanted to know how that happened.
 
I have heard that from ATC and on one occasion been tempted to tell that to ATC.
 
I did violate class Bravo and the tower told me "Advise when ready to copy a phone number". No mention of the violation.

John
 
bdtaz said:
..................................Turned out that they were giving us the opportunity for recommending the controller that called the traffic for some sort of commendation............................
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Wow. In 30 years of ATC, I never heard of anything that tacky
 
A guy busted Detroit Class B a few months ago, before landing at Willow Run. I was talking to Ground, when the other pilot also called Ground, after his landing.
All the Ground controller said was: 'I have some phone numbers for you to call in sequence. Please advice when ready to copy.' No further explanations.
 
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I busted Class B a while ago and got a generic "I have a phone number for you to copy when ready" from an approach controller. No further explanation was given. Also resulted in FAA investigation and "go and sin no more" letter
 
Remember, you're not obligated to call. Whether it's a good idea to do so depends heavily on the particulars of the situation, so there's no "one size fits all" answer. Suffice it to say, though, that typically the "pros" of calling are outweighed by the "cons."
 
Let me say that I know now that my first CFI was not a good match for me. We became "friends" and would talk all the time. I didn't know at the time that I was learning bad hanits, but thats a whole other thread.

This day starts out with wind out of 28 at 13. We took off from 27 and headed back east to the practice area. He asked if i wanted to try some cross wind landings. I said sure and we headed back. At 5 miles out called the tower and asked for a cross wind touch and go. He told me to enter downwind for 18L. Turning base I heard the tower tell another plane he had a skyhawk touch and go on parallel runway.
My CFI said he is going to beat us to the ground as he looked out the window. We discussed wake turbulence and I told him I would touch down after him. I was on final now and crabbing into the wind, so I was facing 18R and my instructor could see the other plane coming in. My instructor said what the hell is he doing? I took a quick glance because I was having trouble keeping center line and didn't want to mess up. His wings where rocking back and forth pretty fast. I did think at this time I wish my CFI was ready to help. He would get in the plane and take off his shoes and slide his seat all the way back. He could not reach the pedals and barley the yoke. I was snapped out of this thought by the other plane saying he is going around. Tower said fly runway heading. My CFI was still watching him and he said this guy is crazy. He drifted off runway and was over the grass inbetween the runways. Tower again said fly runway heading. Tower then called me, but only heard my call sign because instructor said what the F*** and started reach to slide his seat up. I keyed up said going around, full throttle, pulled back and banked left. The stall horn went off and I nosed down and leveled the wings. CFI just got seat back right and I was headed back east. I reached to start taking out flaps because I had a positive rate of climb. My CFI said NO! Lets get in the air more. Tower called and asked if we where good and I didn't answer because I was to worried about flying us over the t hangers and sailboats behind that. My CFI called back and said we was good and asked what the hell was all that about. Tower just asked him if he had a pen and the gave him a number to call. My CFI said that he just lost his license.

Was scared as you can ever be that day. I didn't think we would land that one. Was under 40 ft when I powered up and banked. My CFI said that plane did cross into our runway. I took a few days off and got back in the air.
 

Notice how the controller emphasized "have a GREAT DAY." He knew the paddle was coming out for that poor lad.
 
Rather than losing his license 'just like that', it's likely they'll have him fly a 44709 and that will determine if he loses it. Sounds like you ought to log PIC, considering that your intructor was practically reclining in the back seat. Ditch that CFI, that's a terrible practice.
 
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NOLA Pilot said:
Let me say that I know now that my first CFI was not a good match for me. We became "friends" and would talk all the time. I didn't know at the time that I was learning bad hanits, but thats a whole other thread.

This day starts out with wind out of 28 at 13. We took off from 27 and headed back east to the practice area. He asked if i wanted to try some cross wind landings. I said sure and we headed back. At 5 miles out called the tower and asked for a cross wind touch and go. He told me to enter downwind for 18L. Turning base I heard the tower tell another plane he had a skyhawk touch and go on parallel runway.
My CFI said he is going to beat us to the ground as he looked out the window. We discussed wake turbulence and I told him I would touch down after him. I was on final now and crabbing into the wind, so I was facing 18R and my instructor could see the other plane coming in. My instructor said what the hell is he doing? I took a quick glance because I was having trouble keeping center line and didn't want to mess up. His wings where rocking back and forth pretty fast. I did think at this time I wish my CFI was ready to help. He would get in the plane and take off his shoes and slide his seat all the way back. He could not reach the pedals and barley the yoke. I was snapped out of this thought by the other plane saying he is going around. Tower said fly runway heading. My CFI was still watching him and he said this guy is crazy. He drifted off runway and was over the grass inbetween the runways. Tower again said fly runway heading. Tower then called me, but only heard my call sign because instructor said what the F*** and started reach to slide his seat up. I keyed up said going around, full throttle, pulled back and banked left. The stall horn went off and I nosed down and leveled the wings. CFI just got seat back right and I was headed back east. I reached to start taking out flaps because I had a positive rate of climb. My CFI said NO! Lets get in the air more. Tower called and asked if we where good and I didn't answer because I was to worried about flying us over the t hangers and sailboats behind that. My CFI called back and said we was good and asked what the hell was all that about. Tower just asked him if he had a pen and the gave him a number to call. My CFI said that he just lost his license.

Was scared as you can ever be that day. I didn't think we would land that one. Was under 40 ft when I powered up and banked. My CFI said that plane did cross into our runway. I took a few days off and got back in the air.
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Was the Citation behind you or ahead of you when he said he was going around?
 
Ryanb said:
Rather than losing his license 'just like that', it's likely they'll have him fly a 44709 and that will determine if he loses it. Sounds like you ought to log PIC, considering that your intructor was practically reclining in the back seat. Ditch that CFI, that's a terrible practice.
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We went our seprate ways soon after.
 
NOLA Pilot said:
Close behind and next to me when I aborted.
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where he was when he said he was going around is what I was wondering. The picture I think I'm getting here is he was behind you for the right while you're on final for the left. He's letting the wind from the right push him over to the left and decides to go around, does go around and tells the Tower he is going around. The Tower then tells him to fly runway heading. All this while he is still behind you, overtaking. Is that about right?
 
luvflyin said:
where he was when he said he was going around is what I was wondering. The picture I think I'm getting here is he was behind you for the right while you're on final for the left. He's letting the wind from the right push him over to the left and decides to go around, does go around and tells the Tower he is going around. The Tower then tells him to fly runway heading. All this while he is still behind you, overtaking. Is that about right?
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Yes, thats right. I think it was thought that he had plenty of time to get up and out. Well, thats the story at the FBO. Plus a student pilot in a cessna 172 was holding center and this guy left his huge runway passed the grass and to the other runway. This us alot if area to drift. Who knows what was the cause. Everyone walked away, thats all that mattered.
 
Sorry for the typos. My phone's keyboard is small.
 
A few years ago at KFRG, someone had taken off from somewhere and climbed straight through NY Bravo. I was landing behind that plane, and the tower just asked "got a pen?"...
 
Acrodustertoo said:
still.....could be worse

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We had a hot key once, but was just a pilot singing with all his ❤. Lol I think it was Whitney Houston. The tower had to change eberyone to another frequency. It lasted about 20 min. After he was done the tower called him and asked if he was with us. He said yes and the tower said thanks for the serenade you where hot keyed for 20 min.. The pliot said "had to be today, my daughter left her ipod in the plane" The tower said "if you say so". He never got the phone number treatment. He did get his chops broke for awhile.
 
Kritchlow said:
Truly not enough info to judge the situation.
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Well that's good. Nobody asked to be judged, just sharing stories. Just what the world needs another person who thinks he is better then someone and can judge them.
 
NOLA Pilot said:
Well that's good. Nobody asked to be judged, just sharing stories. Just what the world needs another person who thinks he is better then someone and can judge them.
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Huh??? I said judge the SITUATION. Every time anyone gives an opinion that's what they are doing.
 
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