Squawk Bingo

That's a typical controller clearance for my friend Charlie Peck.

Charlie is retired from IBM and flies his Cessna 172 nearly every good weather day. He keeps it at the Portland International Jetport in Portland, Maine. The Auburn-Lewiston airport is his usual destination. It's about 25 miles from Portland. There's a restaurant on the airport where Charlie eats lunch. He knows everyone at the FBO and all of the restaurant regulars.

Charlie often visits the Portland control tower, where asking the controllers controversial questions is one of his favorite sports. They all know him. When things are slow, the controllers will chat with him on the radio. As a passenger in Charlie's plane, it's like hearing from God when you hear a friendly controller in a casual conversation with him.

It used to be that Charlie's call to Portland clearance would go like this:

Charlie: Portland clearance, Cessna 53223.

Controller: 53223.

Charlie: 53223, a Cessna 172 at the FBO ramp with delta, Auburn-Lewiston, 2,000 feet.

Controller: Cessna 223 cleared to Auburn-Lewiston at 2,000 feet, squawk 0564.

Charlie: 223, squawk 0564.

Controller: Are you ready to taxi?

Charlie: 223, affirmative.

Controller: Taxi Runway 18 via taxiway Charlie.

Charlie: 223, taxi 18.

That was before Charlie wore out a sky path from Portland to the restaurant at Auburn-Lewiston. This is a small restaurant specializing in soups and sandwiches for the lunch crowd. It was started by a commercial pilot who is well-known by local pilots and the Portland controllers. It bears his name: Pasquale's.

One time, Charlie's clearance went like this:

Charlie: Portland clearance, Cessna 53223.

Controller: 53223.

Charlie: 53223, a Cessna 172 at the FBO ramp with delta, Auburn-Lewiston, 2,000 feet.

Controller: Cessna 223 cleared to Auburn-Lewiston at 2,000 feet, squawk 0223.

Charlie: 223, squawk 0223. Bingo!

Controller: What do you mean "Bingo"?

Charlie: Squawk 0223. That's my tail number. Bingo!

They both laughed.

Controller: Are you ready to taxi?

Charlie: 223, affirmative.

Controller: Taxi Runway 18 via taxiway Charlie.

Charlie: 223, taxi 18.

That particular controller must have really enjoyed Charlie's "Bingo." He told all the other controllers about it. After that, whenever they could, the controllers would tell Charlie to squawk 0223 just to hear him say "Bingo!"

There was a long stretch of good weather, and Charlie flew to Pasquale's Restaurant every day. Finally one controller gave Charlie this departure clearance:

"53223 cleared to Runway 18, Pasquale 3 departure, squawk Bingo."

After everyone stopped laughing, the controller told Charlie the "Pasquale 3" departure was "Auburn-Lewiston at 2,000 feet." He added that Squawk Bingo meant to squawk 0223. After that, all the other controllers joined the fun. "Pasquale 3 departure, squawk Bingo" was a part of Charlie's clearance whenever possible. Everyone loved it.

One time, Charlie's clearance was overheard by an incoming commercial pilot flying a major airliner. He asked the tower, "Excuse me, what's the Pasquale 3 departure and squawk Bingo?" The controller quickly explained and everyone laughed for several minutes.

Squawk Bingo, Charlie.

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