Opposing Bases: Air Traffic Talk

Podcasts about aviation? Been there. About air traffic control? Done that. About both? Got the T-shirt. About civilian vs military flying? Cut the shirt and used the rags to clean spills off my garage floor. No, my friends - if what you crave is a steady stream of scorn and derision heaped on center controllers, this is the show for you. Opposing Bases is the only podcast that pulls the green curtain back and tells you how little those Prima Donnas actually do. You’ll learn about the awesome technology that’s only made available to center controllers, and how little effort or skill is actually required compared to the masters of approach and departure, the mighty and majestic Clydesdales of Control. Is it true that there’s a center where controllers are fanned by palm fronds while naked women feed them grapes? Tune in to Opposing Bases and find out. I mean, seriously - didn’t you ever wonder where trash talking basketball players first learned to tell Yo Mama jokes?

Opposing Bases is the perfect podcast for anyone who enjoys aviation, questionable cockpit decisions, and two pilots casually turning ATC into a full-contact sport. The hosts bring a great mix of humor, real-world experience, and genuinely useful aviation knowledge. You’ll learn something, laugh a lot, and occasionally find yourself nodding along while thinking, “Yep… Center definitely did that to me too.” Speaking of Center controllers: they have an incredible ability to make a pilot feel like requesting a shortcut was a deeply personal betrayal. You can practically hear the keyboard stop clacking as they contemplate whether you’ve earned the privilege of being allowed to continue toward your destination. Great podcast, great stories, and just enough ATC roasting to keep the aviation ecosystem properly balanced. Five stars. Highly recommend—especially if you’ve ever been told, “Unable,” before you even finished making the request.

I’ve been listening to Opposing Bases for a couple years now and it has without a doubt made me a better pilot. However, I never expected it to make me a better husband. Let me explain. You see, women are a lot like ATC: we have to do what they say and they have to assume the worst about our intentions and create separation. Since having this epiphany, I’ve started to implement the procedures and phraseology of the 7110 to great effect in my marriage. Now, when my wife issues “Cleared to feed the baby via the bottle in the fridge, warm and maintain 6 ounces of milk, expect 3 ounces one zero minutes after spit up, bathtub frequency 100.0, squawk 1730 bedtime”, instead of the usual glass-eyed stare as the last remaining parenting penguin that’s desperately clinging to the edge of my iceberg has his flippers mercilessly stamped at by the much larger aviation penguins, I proceed to repeat all of her instructions back to her. Psychologists call this “active listening”, but pilots and controllers know its true name: the readback. This has led to a great reduction in Brasher warnings due to possible pilot deviations, with a lot less calls to the tower (aka marital “discussions”), though I don’t suggest saying “standby” too often. Our marriage was like bug-smashing at 3,500 ft without flight following on the approach end of Charlie airspace, but now we have the tools to fly through hard IMC and navigate the complex Bravo airspace of having a toddler and an infant. Thank you OB for the beneficial scope creep of aviation into my personal life. Sincerely, BJH from the Spanish patron saint of insect bites Delta, South of the Longhorn Charlie.

Opposing Bases has been my constant companion for the past two years. I started listening as an AvGeek, as flightless as the show’s mascot, then took it along for my private pilot training, and now it’s with me through instrument training. There’s no question that what I’ve learned from OB has helped me better understand the ATC side of instrument flying. In fact, during my fifth instrument lesson today, I got a “perfect readback” from the controller. I’m giving at least some of the credit to AG and RH, and to all the extra penguins who have launched themselves onto my iceberg over the past two years. Funny, informative, and genuinely useful. Opposing Bases has become an essential part of my aviation journey. Keep the penguins coming! 🐧✈️