[net.aviation] ALITALIA Flight 092 -- a true story

ir545@sdcc6.UUCP (Martin M. Astl (a.k.a. The Bavarian Yahoo) ) (11/07/85)

A TRUE STORY:
	For the benefit of those reading net.jokes who don't know,
	airspace is divided into vertical and horizontal "tracks."
	This event took place over the Atlantic where, I am told, the
	tracks are about 40 miles wide (meaning that if you're any kind
	of pilot you should be O.K.). It was told to me by a TWA pilot.

	ALITALIA flight 092 (Flight # may be incorrect) was coming into
	Boston. The controllers couldn't find 092 on their radar. They
	kept asking 092 "Where are you?" The answer was invariably, "We
	are here." Confusion was rampant. Finally, the Boston
	controllers saw 092 appear on their screens.

	"Hey!" they shouted. "You're 90 miles off course!" There was
	silence; ALITALIA 092 wasn't saying a thing.

	After a few moments, the pilot of ALITALIA 092 asked:

		"Which-a way??"

	
	My friend said about 50 pilots (who listen in on each other for
	a while as the cross the Atlantic) nearly fell out of their
	cockpits, they were laughing so hard.