A student pilot on his first solo cross-country flight hears about the nationwide US ground stop and is advised to land at Hicks.
What the video covers
Written in our own words. It only describes what the video shows and says.Nationwide ground stop and a first solo cross-country
The recording, published by CNN, opens with the controller saying "There's a ground stop nationwide." According to CNN, the controller works in the tower at Fort Worth Meacham International Airport in Texas. The pilot is advised to land the aircraft and is asked where he would like to land. He addresses the controller as "ma'am" and identifies himself as a student pilot. He says this is his first time doing a solo cross-country flight and adds that he does not know what to do.
The controller then asks where the aircraft came from. The pilot replies that he came from Hicks. The controller acknowledges with "roger" and repeats the advice to land the airplane.
Traffic around Hicks
Next, the controller passes traffic information. There is multiple traffic in the vicinity of Hicks: one helicopter at 2,000 feet and a second helicopter northwest of Hicks at 1,200 feet. Both are helicopters, the controller says.
After that information, the pilot asks a direct question: is he cleared to land at Hicks?
Advisory frequency and no clearance
The controller tells the pilot he can change to the advisory frequency at Hicks and says she cannot give a clearance to that airport. The exchange briefly turns to contacting approach, and the pilot chooses to change frequency instead. The controller then confirms with "affirmative" that there is nothing wrong with Hicks Airport itself, because the ground stop is nationwide. She repeats that he can change to the advisory frequency and again suggests landing the airplane. The pilot replies "Would do, thank you so much."
According to the description CNN published with the video, the aircraft landed at Hicks Airfield, about 15 miles northwest of Fort Worth, a few minutes after the conversation.
