A student pilot was forced to seek guidance from air traffic controllers after a nationwide ground stop was imposed across the US on Friday, disrupting flights following a communications outage. "I’m a student pilot. Honestly, this is my first time doing solo cross-country, and I don’t know what to do," the pilot told a controller at Fort Worth Meacham International Airport in Texas.
\n\nThe pilot was on his first solo cross-country flight when the controller advised him to land the aircraft and asked where he wanted to touch down.
\n\nThe pilot said he had taken off from Hicks Airfield, about 15 miles north-west of Fort Worth. The controller advised him to return there, warning that there were several aircraft, including helicopters, in the area.
\n\nWhen the pilot asked whether he was cleared to land at Hicks, the controller explained that he could not issue clearance for that airport. Instead, he advised the pilot to switch to its advisory frequency.
\n\nThe pilot then asked whether there was a problem with Hicks itself or whether the situation was part of the nationwide disruption. "Affirmative, nothing wrong with Hicks Airport itself," the controller replied, again advising him to land.
\n\nThe aircraft landed at…
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy
