Hello everyone.
I have been taking flying lessons for 1 1/2 years now and tomarrow i am taking off for a controlled tower.
Any last minute advice or stories?

appreciate it
Kev13479

As a former tower controller, all I can say is - be nice.  Tell them who you are, where you are and what you want to do.   

Swear like a sailor. It'll liven up their day.  ;D

Just joking.  ;)
It's a little intimidating at first, but you'll quickly get used to the environment. Good luck, and have fun!

Again, "who, where, what" is the main thing, as with comms anywhere. Also... if you are not sure you heard something right, just ask to hear it again. If they mention some unfamiliar landmark, or you can't make sense of taxi instructions from Ground, say "unfamiliar" and they will be happy to clarify it for you. It's not some kind of test- they are there to help.

Another not-so-obvious thing: tower controllers do not have magic powers, nor are they infallible. Trust, but verify... keep a sharp eye out just as you would at a non-towered field.

I say this because the three closest calls I ever had were within the boundaries of tower-controlled airports.  ::)

beaky wrote on Nov 7^th, 2010 at 6:01pm:

tower controllers do not have magic powers, nor are they infallible.

Wait a minute - you obviously never came to my airport  :D.

olderndirt wrote on Nov 7^th, 2010 at 8:56pm:

beaky wrote on Nov 7th, 2010 at 6:01pm: tower controllers do not have magic powers, nor are they infallible. Wait a minute - you obviously never came to my airport  :D.

Pilots always blame the controllers and controllers always blame the pilots  ;D

Pilots and controllers are very similar. When a pilot screws up, the pilot dies. When a controller screws up, the pilot dies. ;)

Therein is the beauty of simming. Nobody dies. And even better, no mechanic or fuel bills! :D

DenisH wrote on Dec 5^th, 2010 at 11:14am:

Therein is the beauty of simming. Nobody dies. And even better, no mechanic or fuel bills! :D

You missed your calling - diplomacy.  A few dollars here, a few there - next thing you know, Ambassador to you name it.  That 'bumper sticker' quoted has been around for awhile - obviously not by a pilot or a controller.  My pilot 'kill ratio' over twenty years was quite low - I even received an award  :).

Hello,
No advice for you just wanted to say you Good Luck for your flight. :)

DenisH wrote on Dec 5^th, 2010 at 11:14am:

Therein is the beauty of simming. Nobody dies. And even better, no mechanic or fuel bills! :D

Unless you manage to be incompetent with home technology, and electrocute yourself... ;D

C wrote on Dec 6^th, 2010 at 5:02pm:

DenisH wrote on Dec 5th, 2010 at 11:14am: Therein is the beauty of simming. Nobody dies. And even better, no mechanic or fuel bills! :D Unless you manage to be incompetent with home technology, and electrocute yourself... ;D

Would having your laptop in the tub fall under that category  :).

I'm technologically  :-[incompetent without having my puter fall in the bathtub.

"You land a million planes safely; then you have one little mid-air, and you never hear the end of it."   ;D ;D

olderndirt wrote on Dec 6^th, 2010 at 8:40pm:

C wrote on Dec 6th, 2010 at 5:02pm: DenisH wrote on Dec 5th, 2010 at 11:14am: Therein is the beauty of simming. Nobody dies. And even better, no mechanic or fuel bills! :D Unless you manage to be incompetent with home technology, and electrocute yourself... ;D Would having your laptop in the tub fall under that category  :).

And I thought I was hard core. ::)  :D  ;D

DaveSims wrote on Dec 7^th, 2010 at 9:14am:

"You land a million planes safely; then you have one little mid-air, and you never hear the end of it."   ;D ;D

Very Charlie Brown. ;D ;D ;D