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Six Seconds In The Tower
Margo is training a new tower controller on a rainy evening shift. A slow aircraft on the runway and a jet on final turn a routine crossing into a conflict. When the trainee freezes, the supervisor moves to take over, and Margo has seconds to decide who talks.
Characters
- MARGO (LEAD) - 40s, tower training instructor, calm, exacting, has washed out trainees before and hated it
- OWEN - 20s, trainee controller, sharp on paper, working local control for the first time in weather
- DALE - 50s, tower supervisor, cautious, would rather be blamed for a scrub than a miss
- LENA - 30s, ground controller at the next position, can be cut
Setting
An airport control tower cab at dusk in the rain, during a training shift.
An airport control tower at dusk. Rain on the glass. MARGO stands behind OWEN, who sits at the local control position with a headset. DALE, the supervisor, is at the back of the cab. LENA works ground control to one side.
MARGO
Talk me through it.
OWEN
Harlan two twenty on a six mile final for two seven. Tango four four kilo holding short at Bravo, I've cleared him to cross. Cutter nine one is in position, I'll release him when four four kilo is clear.
MARGO
Good. Where's four four kilo now?
OWEN
He's... he's still at Bravo.
MARGO
He read back the crossing?
OWEN
He read it back.
MARGO
Then why is he still at Bravo?
OWEN keys the mic.
OWEN
Tango four four kilo, tower, confirm crossing two seven at Bravo.
Pause. He listens.
OWEN
(to Margo)
He says he's crossing. He's moving now. He's slow.
MARGO
How slow?
OWEN
Slow.
MARGO
Harlan?
OWEN
Four miles.
DALE
(from the back)
Margo.
MARGO
I see it.
DALE
He's got a taxiing single engine on the runway and a jet at four miles.
MARGO
I know what he's got, Dale. Owen. What's the call?
OWEN's hand is on the switch. It does not move.
OWEN
He'll clear. He'll clear in time.
MARGO
Will he?
OWEN
He...
MARGO
Owen. You don't get to hope. What's the call?
Nothing. OWEN stares at the runway.
DALE
That's it. I'm plugging in.
MARGO
No.
DALE
Margo, that's not a request.
MARGO
If you key up now he's done. He's done, Dale. He'll never sit here again and you know it.
DALE
Better than the alternative.
MARGO
(to Owen, fast, low)
Owen. Send him around. Say the words. You know the words.
OWEN
(barely)
Harlan two twenty...
MARGO
Louder.
OWEN
Harlan two twenty, go around. Fly runway heading, climb and maintain three thousand.
Beat. OWEN listens.
OWEN
He's going around.
MARGO
Say it to me.
OWEN
Harlan two twenty is going around, runway heading, three thousand.
MARGO
Good. Breathe. Now what's the next problem?
OWEN
The... Cutter nine one is in position.
MARGO
And?
OWEN
And Harlan's going to fly right over him on runway heading.
MARGO
And Cutter's departure is?
OWEN
Runway heading. Same heading. Three thousand.
MARGO
So?
OWEN
Cutter nine one, tower, cancel takeoff clearance, hold in position. Traffic on the go-around overhead.
Pause.
OWEN
He's holding.
DALE
Turn Harlan. You got a departure stacking up behind Cutter.
MARGO
He'll turn Harlan when Harlan has five hundred feet under him.
DALE
He's got it now.
MARGO
(to Owen)
Does he?
OWEN
(checking)
Six hundred. Harlan two twenty, turn left heading two four zero, contact departure.
He listens.
OWEN
Two four zero, departure, Harlan two twenty. He's gone.
MARGO
And four four kilo?
OWEN
Tango four four kilo, tower, you are clear of the runway. Taxi to the ramp via Charlie. And four four kilo, when you're parked, I need you to call the tower.
He lets go of the switch. His hand is shaking.
MARGO
Cutter.
OWEN
Cutter nine one, runway two seven, cleared for takeoff.
He leans back. The room breathes.
LENA
(quietly, from ground)
Nice.
DALE
(coming forward)
That was close.
MARGO
It was a go-around. We do four a week.
DALE
He froze.
MARGO
For six seconds. And then he didn't.
DALE
I'm noting the six seconds.
MARGO
Note them. Note that I didn't key up, and note that you didn't either. And note that he caught the departure conflict on his own, because I didn't give him that one.
DALE looks at her. Then at OWEN. He goes back to his desk.
MARGO
(to Owen)
Give me the position. Lena, he's off.
OWEN
I can finish the shift.
MARGO
I know you can. That's why you're off. You come back tomorrow and you do it again, and you do it before I have to ask you twice. You hear me?
OWEN
(unplugging)
Yes ma'am.
He stands. His legs are unsteady. MARGO sits, plugs in, scans the scope.
MARGO
(into the headset)
Harlan three fifteen, tower, wind two six zero at nine, runway two seven, cleared to land.
She glances up at the rain. Lights fade.
End of script