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Stuck Mic, ILS Lesson

A flight instructor's detailed ILS lesson is accidentally broadcast over the tower frequency via a stuck microphone.

2008-10-03 Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE), Florida CW: Contains minor profanity when the instructor realizes the mic is stuck.

Summary

During an ILS approach to Runway 8 at Executive Tower, the crew of aircraft November 36800 suffered a stuck microphone. This resulted in a lengthy, technical flight lesson being broadcast to all aircraft on the frequency, blocking other pilots from communicating. The incident concluded with a humorous exchange after the instructor realized the cockpit conversation was going live.

Analysis

This recording captures a classic "stuck mic" incident, a situation where an aircraft's push-to-talk (PTT) switch becomes jammed in the "on" position. This effectively hijacks the frequency, as only one person can transmit on a VHF aviation frequency at a time. While usually a nuisance or a safety hazard, this specific instance is notable because the "hot mic" captured a high-quality, professional instrument flight lesson in progress.

The instructor is heard explaining the nuances of an ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach. He covers critical concepts such as the Final Approach Fix (FAF), glide slope intercept altitudes, and the use of marker beacons (specifically the fix "PRAZE"). He also walks the student through power management (setting 1,900 RPM) and the pre-landing checklist, often referred to by the acronym GUMP (Gas, Undercarriage, Mixture, Prop).

The aviation context here is centered on IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) training. The instructor emphasizes why the glide slope centering at 2,200 feet is vital, as it marks the point where the aircraft begins its final descent toward the runway. For non-experts, this is like a high-stakes tutorial on how to land a plane using only cockpit instruments. The technical accuracy of the lesson is high, making it ironically educational for anyone else listening on the frequency.

The situation is resolved when the instructor realizes the microphone is active, punctuated by a brief moment of professional frustration ("Fuck. All right. Little problem."). The controller at Executive Tower (likely Fort Lauderdale Executive, FXE) displays typical "controller wit" by thanking the pilot for the lesson rather than reprimanding them, which helps maintain a calm environment despite the communication block that briefly inconvenienced other aircraft like 616 Bravo Yankee.

View Ratings Overall: 7/10
Overall 7 Spicy 3 Rare 6 Competence 8 Fame 4 Educational 9 Entertainment 8 Historical 1 Emotional 2
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Original ATC Communication

Plain English Translation

PILOT 800
Executive Tower, 800 is inbound ILS 8 with you.
PILOT 800
Executive Tower, this is plane 800. We are coming in using the instrument landing system for runway 8.
CONTROLLER
Number 36800, Executive Tower, how will this approach terminate?
CONTROLLER
Plane 800, this is Executive Tower. What are your plans once you reach the runway?
PILOT 800
This will be a touch-and-go and then back to Miami for 800.
PILOT 800
We’re going to touch the wheels down and take right off again, then head back toward Miami, from 800.
CONTROLLER
Number 800, runway 8, cleared touch-and-go. After touch-and-go, turn left northwest bound, maintain VFR.
CONTROLLER
Plane 800, you are cleared to touch down and take off on runway 8. After you take off, turn left toward the northwest and stay flying by sight, clear of the clouds.
PILOT 800
Roger, cleared touch-and-go runway 8, then left turn northwest VFR, 800.
PILOT 800
Understood, cleared to touch down and go on runway 8, then a left turn northwest while flying by sight, 800.
PILOT 616
Executive Tower, Grumman Cheetah November 616 Bravo Yankee, nine miles southwest of the airport, inbound for landing with Whiskey.
PILOT 616
Executive Tower, this is Grumman Cheetah 616 Bravo Yankee. We’re nine miles southwest of the airport, coming in to land, and we’ve listened to the latest weather update, code Whiskey.
CONTROLLER
Number 616 Bravo Yankee, Executive Tower, say again?
CONTROLLER
Plane 616 Bravo Yankee, this is Executive Tower, could you repeat that?
INSTRUCTOR
We’re waiting for that glide slope to center. Because why—why is it so important for the glide slope to center at 2,200? That becomes our what? That’s our Final Approach Fix on any ILS, okay? So watch here. There’s the needle going a little bit, which means it’s telling me that 080 is probably not holding us so well. So I’m going to go back to 085. There’s glide slope intercept. Power comes back to 1,900, and you can see simultaneously, we’re also crossing PRAZE. All right? I’ve verified I’m in the white arc, and I pull my power back to about 1,900. I also want to do a pre-landing checklist. You can do that whenever—I’ve got gas, undercarriage, mixture, prop, switches—we’re golden. All right, so we’re pitching for 90 knots, okay? If you hold 90 knots, you’re going to see that the glide slope—yeah, you don’t have to look at me. If you hold it, just look here at everything I’m pointing to. If you hold that, you’re going to see that’s going to be close to 90 knots ground speed unless we have some hellacious headwind. All right, so let’s look at what happened. We’re heading 087. We passed PRAZE—how do we know? We had the marker beacon go off, we heard an audible tone, and look what happened: PRAZE is now pointing behind us. So where are we from PRAZE right now? Well, if we put in what our heading is, about 095—what is it, about 085? So we’re on the 085, pretty damn close, right? Now, the thing with ILS and any instrument approach, GPS, it doesn’t matter which kind...
INSTRUCTOR
We’re waiting for that vertical guidance needle to center. Why is it so important for that descent path to center at 2,200 feet? Because that becomes our final starting point for the landing descent on any instrument approach, okay? So watch here. The needle is moving a bit, which tells me our heading of 080 degrees isn’t holding us on course very well. So I’m going to adjust to 085. There, we’ve caught the descent path. I’m pulling the power back to 1,900 RPMs, and you can see at the same time, we’re crossing the PRAZE checkpoint. All right? I’ve checked that our speed is low enough to safely use the flaps, and I’m pulling the power back to about 1,900. I also want to do a pre-landing checklist. You can do that whenever—fuel, landing gear, engine mix, propeller, switches—we’re all set. All right, so we’re aiming for a speed of 90 knots, okay? If you hold 90 knots, you’re going to see that the descent path—yeah, you don’t have to look at me. If you hold it, just look here at everything I’m pointing to. If you hold that, you’ll see our speed over the ground will stay close to 90 knots unless we have a nasty headwind. All right, so let’s look at what happened. We’re heading 087. We passed the PRAZE checkpoint—how do we know? We heard the beep and saw the signal light go off, and look: the needle shows PRAZE is now behind us. So where are we from that checkpoint right now? Well, if we look at our heading, about 085? We’re right on the 085-degree line, pretty damn close, right? Now, the thing with these instrument approaches, whether it's GPS or anything else...
INSTRUCTOR
It’s your mic.
INSTRUCTOR
Your microphone is stuck on.
PILOT 616
Tower, 616 Bravo Yankee.
PILOT 616
Tower, this is 616 Bravo Yankee.
INSTRUCTOR
Fuck. All right. Little problem. I want you to—damn it.
INSTRUCTOR
Fuck. All right. Little problem. I want you to—damn it.
CONTROLLER
November 800, use caution, you have a stuck mic.
CONTROLLER
Plane 800, be careful, your microphone is stuck in the transmit position.
CONTROLLER
Number 10667, Executive Tower, make right downwind departure. Runway 8, cleared for takeoff. Traffic Cherokee on a three-and-a-half-mile final.
CONTROLLER
Plane 10667, Executive Tower, turn right after you leave the area. You’re cleared to take off on runway 8. Watch out for a Cherokee plane about three and a half miles away on its final approach to land.
PILOT 616
Tower, Grumman Cheetah 616 Bravo Yankee.
PILOT 616
Tower, this is Grumman Cheetah 616 Bravo Yankee.
INSTRUCTOR
No, damn it!
INSTRUCTOR
No, damn it!
PILOT 800
Executive Tower, November 36800.
PILOT 800
Executive Tower, this is plane November 36800.
CONTROLLER
Number 36800, Executive Tower.
CONTROLLER
36800, this is Executive Tower, go ahead.
PILOT 616
616 Bravo Yankee.
PILOT 616
Plane 616 Bravo Yankee here.
PILOT 800
Executive Tower, November 36800 has a stuck mic. Copy that.
PILOT 800
Executive Tower, 36800 just had a microphone get stuck in the "on" position. Just letting you know.
CONTROLLER
Number 36800, Roger. We just had the lesson. Thank you. Runway 8, cleared to land.
CONTROLLER
36800, understood. We certainly heard the whole lesson over the radio. Thanks for that. You're cleared to land on Runway 8.
PILOT 800
Runway 8, cleared to land, November 36800.
PILOT 800
Cleared to land on Runway 8, 36800.
CONTROLLER
Number 616 Bravo Yankee, Executive Tower, ident.
CONTROLLER
616 Bravo Yankee, this is Executive Tower, press the button to identify your position on our radar.
PILOT 616
616 Bravo Yankee, ident.
PILOT 616
616 Bravo Yankee, identifying now.
CONTROLLER
Number 616 Bravo Yankee, enter three-mile final for runway 8.
CONTROLLER
616 Bravo Yankee, line yourself up for a three-mile final approach to Runway 8.
PILOT 616
616 Bravo Yankee entering three-mile final for runway 8, 616 Bravo Yankee.
PILOT 616
616 Bravo Yankee, moving into the three-mile final approach for Runway 8.
CONTROLLER
Number 7 Whiskey Delta, frequency change approved.
CONTROLLER
7 Whiskey Delta, you're clear to switch your radio over to the next frequency.
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