Sometimes Its Better To Keep Your Mouth Shut
By JetAviator7 on May 13, 2009 with Comments 0
A Delta Airlines flight from LA to Salt Lake City was advised to make a climb and turn because of a small aircraft which had departed a local airport and was climbing towards the airliners path. Apparently the pilot of the small aircraft was not in touch with ATC, so the crew of the airliner were asked to climb and turn to avoid any possible conflict with the smaller aircraft.
Here is the strange part. I assume the turn and climb would not be interpreted by the passengers as strange or particularly unusual, but the crew felt compelled to tell the cabin that they had made the maneuver to avoid another plane.
Now I have to ask – why would they do that? The crew did not report anything to the FAA, but a passenger on the airliner did. And no one from Air Traffic Control filed any report either.
I am left to wonder if perhaps the crew were trying to malign small aircraft and pleasure pilots once again, getting in the way of the big, bad airliner and causing them some inconvenience. Sob.
Until next time keep your wings straight and level Hersch!
JetAviator7
Man must rise above the Earth—to the top of the
atmosphere and beyond—for only thus will he fully understand the world
in which he lives.
— Socrates
ps: This blog will be moved to http://www.all-things-aviation.com this weekend.
Filed Under: Aviation
About the Author: John White is an ATP Pilot with several type ratings including the venerable Douglas DC-3. Over the years he has been both a charter pilot, flight instructor, corporate flight department head and retired from a 30 year career in the aviation insurance business in 2004.


