During last night’s return flight from KCMH, there was a brief air-traffic-control “teaching moment”.

We were just hanging a left on taxiway C (charlie) onto C5, down in the southwest corner of the airport. We were preparing to take off on runway 10R (the lower of the two parallel runways). There was also traffic using 10L (the upper one). The weather was great clear VFR, but all the nearby traffic was under IFR control.

Before long, we were cleared for take-off, with an instruction that after take-off, we were to turn directly toward to the first waypoint on our route home, APE (Appleton VOR). I read that back, spelling out that this would be a left turn (since it was to the left of the runway heading), and headed for the runway. While I was still rolling on, lining up with the centerline, I heard the tower issue a take-off clearance for a jet on runway 10L.

Do you see the problem? Two airplanes were concurrently cleared for take-off, one without a specific turn instruction, and another with an instruction to turn … right into the other one’s path.

I stomped on the brakes and stopped GXRP. Tower was discussing something with another airplane, but a few seconds later I spoke up on the radio — “CGXRP is holding on 10R, because of the other take-off traffic.”. I think the controller’s mind clicked within a few seconds, must have said ‘oh crap’ to himself, and issued new instructions. “CGXRP cleared for take-off, fly runway heading.”. Once both airplanes were in the sky and getting away from each other he was extra attentive: “CGXRP, maintain visual separation from that traffic, turn left toward APE…”. Problem solved.

Everyone makes mistakes; we need to pay attention to try to catch them. Thus endeth the lesson. Amen.