BDS wrote:
Tony writes:

One human factor that's been overlooked -- on late night flights, it is
often very very quiet aloft. I like the sound of a human voice from
time to time, it's reassuring to know the coms are working. Listening
in on aircraft to aircraft frequencies, and chatting as well, is I
think a safety factor. Pilots who make long cross country flights will
understand the reality of my point , others may appreciate at least the
theory.

I think the ATC guys get just as lonely - I think I've had them start up the
conversations late at night more often than the other way around.

I was flying back from Mexico several months ago and had just cleared
through San Diego. When I got handed off to Lemoore approach at about
20:30 it was pretty slow. I was in and out of IMC but wx was clearing.
So I asked them if they knew when Harris Ranch restuarant closed. The
controller came back about 5 minutes later, said he had checked with
the menu in the break room, confirmed they were open until 22:00 and
wanted to know if I would like to divert and if he could phone in a
reservation for a table for us!!!! My wife was 1/2 awake and the kids
were asleep in the back but eventually all agreed that steaks after a
week of Mexican food sounded good. He even prefiled an IFR for the rest
of our trip after dinner!!!

-robert, CFII