Unidentified aircraft

What we are learning from this strip is that you should always have a backup registration number handy for when you get yourself in trouble with ATC. But be smarter than Chuck and Jason here and use a less high profile number. May I suggest the number of a competitor who has a similar airframe as yours, just in case someone on the ground saw you as well? Put it on a post-it note and stick it somewhere in your aircraft so you always have it ready to go when you don’t want to be caught.

An even better way to go about this however would be not to listen to my advice at all and just properly plan your flight in the first place. If you still end up in trouble, Chuck has shown that the old NASA report might help you out. We have done many jokes on this subject already. How long do you guys think will it take Jason to pass his private pilot exam?

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7 comments on “Unidentified aircraft
  1. Fbs says:

    Unfortunately with mode S, this trick no longer works 🙁

    Note that in principle you don’t hear ATC when entering an airspace : because it takes to select the appropriate frequency first (and if you remember you have to do it, you call them in principle..). You only receive a mail a few days after with a radar trace and a request for a report….

  2. Peregreena says:

    To answer your question:
    Probably no more than two weeks … from the time he changes instructors.

  3. Landis says:

    Reminds me of the old joke: Long line of airliners waiting to depart during a ground stop at LGA. Someone keys the mic and says “I’m bored” to which ATC immediately starts berating the pilot. “This is an official frequency, pilot joking around immediately identify yourself!” The reply, “I said I was bored, not that I was stupid.”

  4. Bruce Bergman says:

    Mike: Just answer as N9VY (nee N698), they can’t tell one Sikorsky from another at altitude… Larry won’t mind. 😉

  5. joshua says:

    It will probably take 80 hours after Jason switches instructors. Someone is going to have to clean up the mess.

    Or he can have his name legally changed to “Chuck.” Then he will pass somehow.

  6. TG McCoy says:

    Yep, changing instructors is a start. I ran a part 141 school
    back in the late 70’s early 80’s there was one local instructor that mess up students like Chuck does..
    Fun to unravel the trail of screwed up instruction.
    “NO I don’t each formation flying and aerobatics!”
    Actually happened.

  7. L says:

    FBS, you are absolutely right. However, we can maybe make an assumption that Julio knows Chuck’s antics and hard-wired the Com2 to always be on guard and selected for reception.
    And I think I am making the right assumption because how else would they reach Chuck in the air? 🙂
    If that is not sufficient, we could also assume that his student is smart and set Com2 to the guard frequency as per the AIM. 🙂

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