A student pilot sought guidance from air traffic control during a nationwide interruption to U.S. air traffic on Nov. 13, saying it was his first long solo flight. (Foto: Instagram)
A student pilot was in the air during a nationwide interruption to air traffic in the United States on Friday, Nov. 13, while making his first long solo flight. In a recording of the exchange with air traffic control, he said he was unsure how to proceed. The pilot said he had departed from Hicks Airfield in Fort Worth, Texas.
The controller told him there was an interruption to air traffic across the country and recommended that he land, asking where he wanted to go. The student replied that this was his first solo flight over a long distance and that he did not know what to do. Asked where he had come from, he said he had taken off from Hicks.
The controller recommended that he return to Hicks, noting there was other air traffic near the airfield, including helicopters. The pilot then asked whether he had permission to land there. The controller said she could not authorize a landing at Hicks and suggested that he switch to the airfield’s information frequency. She also asked whether he wanted to speak with approach control.
The pilot said he had already changed frequencies and spoken with personnel, and that the airport itself did not appear to have a problem. He asked whether the disruption was nationwide. The controller confirmed there was nothing wrong with Hicks Airport and again advised him to land, suggesting he use the information frequencies. The pilot said he would do so and that he was switching to Hicks. The recording does not establish whether or when he landed.
The exchange was shared by the ATC account (@theATCapp) on X on Nov. 13. The account described the student pilot as having been caught in the air during the interruption.
