Air Traffic Control Chatter, and Why I Got an iPhone

Ok, ok, I finally got an iPhone. 

And it wasn't so I can listen to Air Traffic Controllers talk to pilots, although the ability to do that did come up.  More on that later.

Some of you may remember that in late 2010 I wrote about why I didn't want an iPhone.  What changed my mind was my visit to Las Vegas last week, and conversations with my brother, Kevin, who insisted that I needed an iPhone.

Kevin emphasized all the cool apps, but I'm not into those.  What sold me was Kevin's insistance that it's just more professional to have a smart phone when you're out in public. 

He said my clients expect me to be up to date with technology, especially since they're probably sending me emails from their smart phones.  He's right.  The CEO who brought be to Las Vegas to do the keynote did try to email me right before I showed up, and I didn't get it till checking my email on Kevin's computer the next day.

Just having the iPhone for that is enough justification.

I just don't want to get so attached that I'm always checking my email.  While I was in the airport waiting for my flight home, I watched a mother and her teenaged daughter sitting side-by-side, not talking, but working their smart phones.  For an hour.  I don't want to get that plugged into the technology.

Now for the Air Traffic Control app.  Kevin told me he had heard my flight land thru this app, so he didn't have to rely on the airlines website, which he says is often not accurate.  So we listed to some chatter at the Vegas Airport:

Tower:  Delta 123, you'll have to wait for that Chester 349 to get out of the way.

Delta 123:  Uh, I don't see Chester 349.

Tower:  What?  I..ahh...was just seeing if you're paying attention.  It's actaully  a Continental 349 to look out for...

Kevin and I just looked at each other.  "Wow," I said, "I'd rather NOT hear this stuff...."