We laughed our a...... off with the Nor Cal controller today

Lndwarrior

Lndwarrior

Cleared for Takeoff
Joined
Jan 15, 2009
Messages
1,283
Display Name
Display name:
Gary
Wifey and I took a short flight from Pine Mountain Lake (E45) to Livermore (LVK) today to play a round of golf at the airport golf course.

From the second we turned on the freq, this approach controller was friggen hilarious. He made a joke out of pretty much every radio call. It was pretty busy too. He had a way of pronouncing airports, or waypoints, or aircraft in the funniest way. We laughed almost nonstop for 45 minutes at his antics. When he handed us off, I said "Thanks for the entertainment".

I've heard controllers throw the odd quip, but this guy was almost nonstop.

There's got to be other people in Nor Cal who come across this controller?
 
Nothing in NorCal, but we landed at SWF a few weeks ago, and the tower controller seemed a bit impatient with us - he couldn't hear a transmission (probably stepped on), and seemed a bit short with us. When we were getting ready to depart, I very politely asked him if he could get us a squawk code and he said, "Stand By one... one two zero zero". My buddy and I cracked up, but still thought the controller was being ****y. Then he comes on and says "You're supposed to laugh at that...". I told him we WERE laughing, but weren't sure that HE was laughing. All smooth and fine after that.
 
Lndwarrior said:
Wifey and I took a short flight from Pine Mountain Lake (E45) to Livermore (LVK) today to play a round of golf at the airport golf course.

From the second we turned on the freq, this approach controller was friggen hilarious. He made a joke out of pretty much every radio call. It was pretty busy too. He had a way of pronouncing airports, or waypoints, or aircraft in the funniest way. We laughed almost nonstop for 45 minutes at his antics. When he handed us off, I said "Thanks for the entertainment".

I've heard controllers throw the odd quip, but this guy was almost nonstop.

There's got to be other people in Nor Cal who come across this controller?
Click to expand...
Management will remove his funny bone soon
 
What seems funny now suddenly loses its luster when written about in an accident report. Some random occasional good natured humor is fine but I for the most part expect a busy controller to be focused on their job and keeping me separated from other aircraft and not trying to think of what quirky or funny thing to say next instead.
 
On Friday, I heard Salt Lake Center answer a ride report request with a touch of humor. “Where are the best rides?” “Probably on the ground at Salt Lake.”
 
When flying near the fort Knox restricted area atc asked a surveyor or phot plane what they were taking pictures of today. Pilot response..."honestly, I have no clue". ATC.. "doesn't sound sketchy at all"
 
Lndwarrior said:
Wifey and I took a short flight from Pine Mountain Lake (E45) to Livermore (LVK) today to play a round of golf at the airport golf course.

From the second we turned on the freq, this approach controller was friggen hilarious. He made a joke out of pretty much every radio call. It was pretty busy too. He had a way of pronouncing airports, or waypoints, or aircraft in the funniest way. We laughed almost nonstop for 45 minutes at his antics. When he handed us off, I said "Thanks for the entertainment".

I've heard controllers throw the odd quip, but this guy was almost nonstop.

There's got to be other people in Nor Cal who come across this controller?
Click to expand...

I suspect I know to whom you're referring. Great guy, and it seems like he knows almost everyone, and everyone knows him.
 
You can look up Kennedy Steve on Youtube, he had quite the following at JFK.

Years ago I remember a controller at BTR that would give out the LSU scores. "NXXXX enter left base for runway 4, LSU is up 27-17."
 
Do you have time/date/frequency? How about posting a LiveATC link?
 
Heard this one on frequency awhile back—
"Center, [Airline 1234] FL340, any complaints?
*long pause*
"Yeah, I'd really rather not be here today."
 
Not too long after the PBI tower controller fell asleep with his shoes off and cleaning his gun in 1993. Florida Air-Traffic Controller Sleeps On The Job | The Seattle Times

We were on our way home in the middle of the night and it took a while to raise the tower after we were handed off from approach. When we did get a response, the controller said he was picking his feet and cleaning his gun, apologized, and then cleared us to land. We recognized the controller's voice and were sure he knew us.
 
I love the one of an exchange between a fast talking controller and a guy with a deep Southern accent. After a rapidly delivered amended clearance the pilot asked in a slow Southern drawl, "Do y'all hear how I'm talkin'?" The controller acknowledged, and the pilot replied, "Well, that's how I listen, too."
 
iamtheari said:
On Friday, I heard Salt Lake Center answer a ride report request with a touch of humor. “Where are the best rides?” “Probably on the ground at Salt Lake.”
Click to expand...
Flew commercial LAX into SLC Tuesday night. The connecting flight was cancelled soon after I arrived with no rebooking assistance from Delta. I was one of 1000 victims in line at the service center. While in line I was able to book (buy) a return flight via their app and I aborted my trip. The next morning I flew back to LAX. Both flights had moderate turbulence so the Center was right!
 
kmacht said:
What seems funny now suddenly loses its luster when written about in an accident report. Some random occasional good natured humor is fine but I for the most part expect a busy controller to be focused on their job and keeping me separated from other aircraft and not trying to think of what quirky or funny thing to say next instead.
Click to expand...

*sigh*
I reckon we’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t.
 
kmacht said:
What seems funny now suddenly loses its luster when written about in an accident report. Some random occasional good natured humor is fine but I for the most part expect a busy controller to be focused on their job and keeping me separated from other aircraft and not trying to think of what quirky or funny thing to say next instead.
Click to expand...
Some people are blessed with the gift of always having a quip without having to think about it.
 
Timbeck2 said:
*sigh*
I reckon we’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t.
Click to expand...

I think there's a couple types of ATC humor, one of which is okay and good, the other is questionable.

As a controller, you know there are basically two types of transmissions - control instructions and providing information. The control instructions generally have a prescribed verbiage, while the informational ones, by necessity, are more "plain language".

For informational things like ride reports, funny answers I think are fine and lighten things up. Good job.

But for control instructions, making jokes during them can lead to misunderstandings and safety problems.

I mean, if you like to say "buenas dias" when giving a frequency change, okay. But if you decide to give the PTAC drool in Spanish to be funny, no bueno.

The OP said ATC was even pronouncing airport names funny. That's the type of thing that seems funny right up until it's not. Same for localisms - for example, there is a small airport just east of Wichita National - Westport, 71K. I was flying there. Wichita approach cleared me direct to "Dead Cow International" without a trace of humor in her voice. I was (obviously) confused as to where she thought I was going. Turn out that's a local fun name for Westport for I don't know what reason. Stuff like that stretches the limits of safety IMO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top