Just a couple of days ago we had a rather excited pilot call up to the west of the field in his brand new home-build. He had been waiting until the temperature got up towards 0 Celcius before daring to try out his new toy (all this was told to us on his initial contact
)
Anyway, he requests a climb up to 5000 feet (no way on earth I would even think about doing that in something I built) and sets off on his merry way eastbound. As his track is taking him close to the airfield, he is issued a vector. Guess who doesn't have any instruments except a hand held GPS. So, following the Trans-Canada Highway, our intrepid little pilot trundles onwards towards his destination (while everything else is moved out of his way)
Suddenly our friend makes a transmission:
"Uh, Winnipeg Terminal, sorry if you've been trying to call me. I've been taking pictures of the city as I fly over it and I think I have seen my buddy's house". Thanks for the heads up.
Our pluckly little adventurer gets to the edge of our airspace, is told we can't provide him a service any further, the weather at his destination is such, good luck and contact his enroute frequency. Many thanks and he's gone........
Until 20 mins later he's back. Life story time again about how his destination's weather wasn't great and he was having to lower and lower to stay below the cloud and he didn't feel comfortable about trying to land there and could he proceed to St. Andrews and could we give him some assistance.(a small airfield to the NE of CYWG). The new controllers sitting there (who missed all the fun on the way out) is unaware our friend only has his trusty GPS and asks him his heading.
"Um, I'm heading west following Highway 1. I think I know where to go, but the Trans-Canada doesn't go up there, does it?"
Bless him. Eventually get the guy pointed in the right direction (thank god we had a road map) and visual with his destination. Good luck again and see ya.
It's things like this that make me love my job even more.