Desert Rat
Well Known Member
So, this is in no way meant to imply that controllers are anything but professionals trying to do a job to the best of their ability, but it's pretty undeniable that they are trying to do more with less just like we all are.
Thursday I flew a C182 from Wichita up to KS for the chiefs game. Conditions were good VFR weather, but due to the proximity to the class B, the upcoming stadium TFR, and the chaos of all the big boys flying in on game day I filed IFR both ways.
On the way up, we were being vectored into the queue for landing KMKC rwy 19. We had just been turned inbound when KC approach says tower just told them they could take us on rwy 21 if we were able. I said sure, and they transferred us to tower a couple of minutes later.
I call up tower and they immediately come back with "cleared to land 19"
We questioned them that we were told to expect 21 by approach and he came back with cleared to land 21 in a tone that indicated he though he had already told me 21.
He seemed confident enough about it that I thought maybe I'd made a mistake, even though my wife heard the same thing, so I listened to the playback and nope, he originally cleared us to the wrong runway.
After landing, were on a taxiway holding short of crossing rwy 19 for 3 airplanes on final when ground comes on and says "N88DD, cross rwy 19, no delay, landing traffic"
Problem is, we were in 418DM. He got us confused with another airplane that I heard him talking to a couple of minutes before who was clear on the other end of the airport.I called back and confirmed that was for us, but by the time we got it sorted we were holding for another few minutes for landing traffic.
On the way home departure cleared us on course and up to 8k. I had filed for 6K and that's what was in my read back. got that sorted when we were handed off to center.
Even Center was having trouble keeping up and I heard several missed calls, then the controller actually says, "guys, I'm working a bunch of frequencies, you're all just going to have to be patient with me"
Like I said, I'm not trying to bag on controllers. They've got an incredibly difficult job.
It's easy to get into the mindset that controllers will keep you out of trouble, especially if you're IFR. And taken individually, none of these are catastrophes, but gosh, when you get 3 or 4 of them on one flight, it drives home the point that you better cross check and verify everything.
Thursday I flew a C182 from Wichita up to KS for the chiefs game. Conditions were good VFR weather, but due to the proximity to the class B, the upcoming stadium TFR, and the chaos of all the big boys flying in on game day I filed IFR both ways.
On the way up, we were being vectored into the queue for landing KMKC rwy 19. We had just been turned inbound when KC approach says tower just told them they could take us on rwy 21 if we were able. I said sure, and they transferred us to tower a couple of minutes later.
I call up tower and they immediately come back with "cleared to land 19"
We questioned them that we were told to expect 21 by approach and he came back with cleared to land 21 in a tone that indicated he though he had already told me 21.
He seemed confident enough about it that I thought maybe I'd made a mistake, even though my wife heard the same thing, so I listened to the playback and nope, he originally cleared us to the wrong runway.
After landing, were on a taxiway holding short of crossing rwy 19 for 3 airplanes on final when ground comes on and says "N88DD, cross rwy 19, no delay, landing traffic"
Problem is, we were in 418DM. He got us confused with another airplane that I heard him talking to a couple of minutes before who was clear on the other end of the airport.I called back and confirmed that was for us, but by the time we got it sorted we were holding for another few minutes for landing traffic.
On the way home departure cleared us on course and up to 8k. I had filed for 6K and that's what was in my read back. got that sorted when we were handed off to center.
Even Center was having trouble keeping up and I heard several missed calls, then the controller actually says, "guys, I'm working a bunch of frequencies, you're all just going to have to be patient with me"
Like I said, I'm not trying to bag on controllers. They've got an incredibly difficult job.
It's easy to get into the mindset that controllers will keep you out of trouble, especially if you're IFR. And taken individually, none of these are catastrophes, but gosh, when you get 3 or 4 of them on one flight, it drives home the point that you better cross check and verify everything.