When Flights Go Sideways
Contrary to the general public's perception that air traffic control (ATC) exists solely to act as the heavyweight in a vast aeronautical game of "mother, may I?", ATC's fundamental purpose is to prevent airplanes from bumping into each other. However, beyond that primary mandate, ATC professionals work hard to help pilots in any way they can. A key example of this is how ATC is spring loaded to assist when things go wrong.
When I recently heard, "Cherokee Four Eight One, are you experiencing an emergency?", it was an immediate reminder that ATC is always ready to provide any assistance needed.
Rough Rider
| Date | Aircraft | Route of Flight | Time (hrs) | Total (hrs) |
| 15 Apr 2023 | N21481 | SDC (Sodus, NY) - SDC - BAF (Westfield, MA) - SDC | 5.2 | 2605.4 |
After a two week lapse, I received my updated medical certificate from the FAA just in time to join Tom, Alicia, Ed, and Stacey in a three ship flight to Westfield, MA for sushi at Tobiko in celebration of Alicia's birthday.
I decided to turn the flight to Massachusetts into an IFR system refresher complete with a full route clearance via airways (DINES V483 STODA T608 ALB V146). I had not flown IFR since a December trip to Michigan and wanted to practice the lingo, exercise my buttonology skills with the onboard navigator and autopilot, and get back into the rhythm of weather flying now that winter was in retreat.
Launching first and climbing for 7,000 feet, I made a right turn-out direct to DINES, a waypoint roughly 1.5 miles offshore above Lake Ontario while picking up my IFR clearance from Rochester Approach. Shortly after intercepting the waypoint that marked the start of my cleared route, I was passed to Syracuse Approach and performed a VOR check off the Syracuse VOR.
Approximately 15 nautical miles southeast of DINES on airway V483 and level at 7,000 feet, I documented the successful VOR cross-check in a log. With my post-launch workload diminishing, I looked to the traffic display for a check on my friends. A cyan glyph representing Ed and Stacey's Archer was still climbing on a southeast heading direct to Westfield-Barnes Regional, but the icon for Tom and Alicia's airplane had turned back toward Sodus.
I called out to Tom on Unicom using the number two radio and received assurance that they were OK, but that their engine was running rough. They were lined up for a straight-in to runway 28 and, based on their distance and altitude, they seemed to have the field made.
"Syracuse Approach, Cherokee Four Eight One request IFR cancellation to turn back to Sodus."
"Cherokee Four Eight One, are you experiencing an emergency?"
"Negative, but one of the other airplanes I am flying with is turning back."
"Cherokee Four Eight One, do you need us to call Sodus and have them provide assistance on the ground?"
I looked at the traffic display again. Tom's airplane was already on short final. Even if their engine quit in that moment, they would be fine.
"Negative, they're OK, but thanks for offering," I responded. I was impressed by the Syracuse controller exploring any means available to assist an aircraft in distress.
"Cherokee Four Eight One, IFR cancellation received, squawk VFR, frequency change approved. I hope they're OK."
So did I.
Consolidation
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| Take-off number 2: Ed and Stacey with Alicia on board. |
In the time that it took me to return to the airport, fly the traffic pattern, and land, Tom and Alicia had already put their ailing Cherokee 180 to bed in the hangar. I parked near Ed as Alicia climbed into his Archer. Tom shouldered his bag and came walking my way.
"Thanks for coming back for us," Tom said as he settled into the right seat.
We were soon back in the air and tracking toward Westfield again. The engine issue with their airplane would have to wait; the birthday girl really wanted to fly for sushi.
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| Tom and I in Warrior 481 photographed by Alicia. |
Birthday Sushi!
Two hours later, we touched down on the 9,000 foot long runway at Westfield-Barnes and parked at the Atlantic FBO that shared a building with Tobiko.
And the sushi? It was a delectable work of art. Tobiko routinely serves up excellent food and I am already looking forward to my next visit.
The Point
In the routine back-and-forth of check-ins, traffic call-outs, and clearances, even pilots sometimes forget that ATC is always primed to respond with help in any emergency. I was impressed that Syracuse Approach was willing to lend assistance to an aircraft that they were not even working at the time. The moral of the story is to never forget that ATC is there to help.
