Posted on 09/19/2026 10:25:05 PM PDT by 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?"
(Excerpt) Read more at wjla.com ...
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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
(I could google it but some things I'd much rather get the info from real people who know their stuff :-)
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.
Thanks. That pretty much satiates my curiosity.
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.
It was brief. If anything, the non family pilot transmitted the most.
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.
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.
“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
“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
Bkmk
Did you listen to the exchange? The unprofessionalism was from ATC.
I’ve always heard it referred to as “the count”.
In flight school, once agreed with another student to shoot the breeze during our solos on a randomly chosen channel from the aircraft dial. Seems we were on squadron common, entertaining all the instructors in the ready room The CO was not amused.
Bookmark — Radio Frequencies
“Did you listen to the exchange?”
I don’t have to. Just by using a channel used for safety of moving planes on an airfield, especially large aircraft, crossing runways, taxiways, and avoiding other aircraft doesn’t make the pilots any less guilty of creating a possible accident by shutting down the tranmissions any more or less than ATC. Who is the adult in the room then? Nobody.
The pilots know what to do and just ignored it. So are they any less guilty of the problem than anyone else? They are more guilty as they took their concentration off the aircraft, where it was, what was around them, to play cutesy games. Both planes had people on them that trusted the pilots to give them their best. Was that it?
wy69
“The CO was not amused.”
How much trash did you get to go out all day on a couple of days off directing other people in trouble to trash pickup and painting to beautify the base? And you’re lucky the FAA and/or the FCC didn’t send you a letter.
I’ll run it by my family who is a commercial pilot. See his opinion on THIS situation.
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