I wonder what was up with this guy....

[nikon50bigma]

Here is a youtube video clip of ATC audio at FRG.
This guy just seems so dense or just in his own world when it came to the radio transmissions. Either that or he had radio problems, but I don't think it's the later.
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[Big Tim #70]

The funny thing is that I just had the scanner on and the same controller is working today.

Anybody who was listening last week on the day of the Thunderbird arrivals would have heard a blockhead similar to this. The guy just wouldn't follow directions. I don't know if he didn't understand or what but on a day when you have fast movers in the direct vicinity, it's pretty unnerving.

[moose135]

That sounds very familiar - I think I was over in the terminal parking lot on the scanner when that happened. I absolutely remember tower yelling at someone to get off the runway, then telling him stop and hold his position. I doubt it could have been a different guy.

[cancidas]

that reminds me of some pilots i've heard flying out of Castroville, CA. then again, they have an excuse IMO. they can't remember the 60's either...

[HPNPilot1200]

Some people just shouldn't have passed the checkride. Or their last BFR. After you've been flying for a while there seem to be an abundance of these that come out of the woodwork.

[USAF Pilot 07]

Damn, that's pretty bad... The guy sounds like he's drunk or something...

[Big Tim #70]

I would love to hear the conversation on the phone call...

[Art at ISP]

He just sounds like an older guy--perhaps a little confused--which is even MORE scary. Reminds me of an incident when I was flying a few years ago, a foreign student with a limited grasp of English flew a Tomahawk UPWIND against traffic where everyone was downwind--almost collided with me and three others--I wonder how this guy in the tower would have handled that one.

[Mateo]

Supervisor on the frequency telling you to copy a phone number = rut roh. I especially like the go around pilot cursing at him on the radio. I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt and say he was occupied by a mechanical or something (gear unsafe, coughing engine, electrical trouble, but there aren't a lot of low-time pilots flying old Mooneys and he really should have known better. The registration comes back to someone in close-in Nassau - could the Mooney possibly even be based at FRG?

[PhilDernerJr]

...there aren't a lot of low-time pilots flying old Mooneys and he really should have known better.

Bingo. There's gotta be more to the story on here. No way this pilot can be a rookie.

[USAF Pilot 07]

...there aren't a lot of low-time pilots flying old Mooneys and he really should have known better.

Bingo. There's gotta be more to the story on here. No way this pilot can be a rookie.


Hopefully there is - there's usually always more to the story. Sounds like the guy either got really disoriented (if it's home field and VFR doesn't sound likely), or maybe he had a problem that he was troubleshooting. Communicate is last on the list of priorities when dealing with a problem, but would have been nice to at least give a standby call or the like.

Is there any way to follow up with this story?

[nikon50bigma]

I wish there was a way to follow up on the story.
Glad most of you guys gave the pilot the benefit of the doubt so to speak; like a mechanical problems or radio troubles. I thought he was high at first since he didn't answer the tower. But it retrospect mechanical or radio issues seem more probable.
Do you think on that phone call the tower was yelling at the pilot or trying to find out what happened?

[MarkLawrence]

I'd say trying to find out - but - in listening to it again - and I've listened to it a few times - the guy sounds high or inebriated - particularly in the last couple of transmissions - just my 0.05c.

[Mateo]

At :21, he's at 2400'. At 1:30, he's called at 600'. By 1:51, he's already landed. That's a descent rate in the range of 1500 fpm, which is waaaaaay too much for an approach in any type excluding the Space Shuttle. It sounds to me like he had a "get it on the ground now" type of problem.

[Matt Molnar]

At :21, he's at 2400'. At 1:30, he's called at 600'. By 1:51, he's already landed. That's a descent rate in the range of 1500 fpm, which is waaaaaay too much for an approach in any type excluding the Space Shuttle. It sounds to me like he had a "get it on the ground now" type of problem.
It's possible the guy who made that clip may have cut out a minute or two.

[T-Bird76]

The simplest explanation is usually the correct one...the guy is an a$$hole. Done

[Fighting_falcon_51]

The funny thing is that I just had the scanner on and the same controller is working today.

Anybody who was listening last week on the day of the Thunderbird arrivals would have heard a blockhead similar to this. The guy just wouldn't follow directions. I don't know if he didn't understand or what but on a day when you have fast movers in the direct vicinity, it's pretty unnerving.
I remember during Airshow week I heard the Air traffic controller yelling at a plane for conflicting with traffic, not good.