Understanding the Pilot-Controller Relationship, with John Krug

By John Zimmerman
Jul 14, 2026
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Pilot's Discretion Podcast, episode 134

The key to working collaboratively with ATC is to remember that humans are on both sides of the mic, says longtime pilot and air traffic controller John Krug. He offers tips for when to cancel IFR at non-towered airports, how to get that shortcut you want, and what his biggest pet peeve was as a controller. John also talks about how to practice decision-making once you’ve learned basic flying skills and why the checkride isn’t enough. In the Ready to Copy segment, John shares his opinion on when to declare an emergency, landing at St. Barth’s, and building an RV-9A.

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Quotes:

How John uses his ATC mind when flying: “I always try to get the bigger picture.”
What ATC doesn’t know: “a lot of the controllers aren't pilots and don't have a real good understanding of what it's like to be in the cockpit, especially the cockpit of a single engine piston airplane with a single pilot.”
John’s message to pilots as a controller: “look at me—I'm just like you guys. I'm a human. I don't have superhuman powers. I'm not a god.”
Canceling IFR at a non-towered airport: “I was never a big fan of canceling until I'm on the ground. And the same thing with departing and departing VFR and trying to pick it up in the air. You just never know.”
What goes into an IFR release: “it might go through three, four people to do that in some situations.”
ATC pet peeves: “one of the worst is the pilot who skirts a quarter of an inch outside of the class D or or a quarter of an inch outside of the Bravo.”
Is there a magic word to get a shortcut? “There really isn't. It's just: sound like you know what you're talking about, and listen up.”
Why it’s OK for different pilots to make different decisions: “many times there is no right answer. There are times when someone from a different experience level might take a different approach.”
When to declare an emergency: “Anytime that you think the safety of the flight is in jeopardy.”
Telling controllers to stand by: “the only tool that they have is their voice… you may need to say, ‘just shut up. I got an airplane to fly here.’”
A misunderstood topic: “trim doesn't hold altitude. Trim holds airspeed, power holds altitude,”
Tips for building an airplane: “You can really, really get overwhelmed, so make a lot of connections with an EAA chapter, talk to people, go to Oshkosh, wander around there and talk to builders.”