'Pops, is that you?' United pilot and daughter share story behind viral radio exchange

ABC 7 WJLA News ^ | September 6, 2026 | De'Anthony Taylor and Tom Roussey

[Ciaphas Cain]

A familiar voice on the radio brought an expected family moment to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Kenny Katnik recognized it immediately.

It was her dad.

Kenny, a 24-year-old CommuteAir captain, and her father, United Airlines pilot Kent Katnik, were preparing for separate flights Sept. 1 when they ended up on the same radio frequency.

Their brief exchange spread online, giving listeners a glimpse of the family behind the flight decks.

Now, the two are sharing with 7News how it happened, explaining Dad's dry humor and looking ahead to the day they might fly together.

Kenny was headed to Syracuse, New York, on United Express Flight 4977. Kent, 58, was departing for Munich on United Flight 108.

Although they had eaten breakfast together that morning, Kent did not know his daughter would be flying that day. Kenny knew her father had a flight but had not expected to hear him while preparing for her own departure.

"His voice was the first I had ever heard on the radio," Kenny said.

She recalled her immediate reaction: "Pops, is that you?"

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TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Travel
KEYWORDS: airplanes; aviation

[Ciaphas Cain]

A fun story for a late Saturday night :-) Audio of the exchange on the article's page.

[whitney69]

They shouldn’t have done this. There is no frequency for small talk except fingers. And even with fingers, 123.45, commercial airline pilots rarely chat on radio frequencies; they focus on Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions and converse with each other inside the flight deck.
And even fingers has other uses like being officially designated for oceanic air-to-air communications. If they are doing their job shouldn’t be playing on the radio.

wy69

[Ciaphas Cain]

In aviation communications parlance, what is "fingers"? I've never heard that term before.

(I could google it but some things I'd much rather get the info from real people who know their stuff :-)

[lee martell]

Is the policy against this kind of small talk mainly a security issue or an example of low quality professionalism?
I’m just asking. I see a cute, heartwarming story that very few Dads could ever share with their adult child, even less often if that adult child is a young woman Air Captain, but maybe others with ‘Air Experience’ share your reaction.

[thecodont]

http://steinmetz.org/peter/flying/FingersFreq.html

[Ciaphas Cain]

Thanks. That pretty much satiates my curiosity.

[Excellence]

I watch “Captain Steeeve” on YouTube. There are convos between ATC and pilots that are, shall we say, off topic, plenty of times. As long as it’s short it’s not a problem.

[HollyB]

It was brief. If anything, the non family pilot transmitted the most.

[Chickensoup]

Sweet story.

Sad.

I have been keeping casual count of stories about men an women and their sons.

Very few.

And in media... daughters outnumber sons easily 2 to 1.

[equaviator]

Awww, isn’t that nice, and the whole world gets to share in it too...Not that there’s anything wrong with that (/s). Why it’s such big news in the first place, I have no idea.

[whitney69]

“what is “fingers”?”

Fingers is 122.75 MHz. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officially designates 123.45 MHz for flight test operations and specific oceanic air-to-air communications, not general casual conversation. Many pilots informally (and improperly) use 123.45 MHz as an air-to-air “chat” channel to talk to other aircraft during flight. The official and legal frequency designated for private, fixed-wing aircraft-to-aircraft communication in US domestic airspace is 122.75 MHz. But even fingers has purpose and is sometimes misused: (loophole)

Flight schools and student pilots use it to announce positions, maneuvers, and intentions while operating inside local practice areas. Pilots in loose formations use it to coordinate movements, and the FCC rules require keeping transmissions brief and necessary for safety. Transmissions must stay limited to safety, efficient operation, and the protection of property. It is not a chat line. Using it for extended non-essential conversations or social chatting violates proper radio discipline and clutters the frequency for other nearby pilots to use for flying business. So even a line, not attached to ATC, has limitations on it’s use. And it is a rule violated too often just like what the two airline pilots did.

wy69

[whitney69]

“It was brief.”

How long does it take for a cluttering squawk to keep a transmission needed for a possible dangerous situation on a frequency used to move aircraft when they are lined up at or crossing runways? Rule of thumb, do your business and get off. Accident waiting to happen. If it’s that important, most people carry cell phones these days. I suspect the pilots do, also. And that should be done prior to taxiing if airplane mode is not understood and used properly.

wy69

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[pops88]

Did you listen to the exchange? The unprofessionalism was from ATC.

[PhiloBedo]

I’ve always heard it referred to as “the count”.