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8 GREAT LAKES GREAT LAKES REGION REGION A pilot, with no instrument flight rules (IFR) training, became trapped above an advancing cold front with no safe way down, putting Cleveland Center (ZOB) controllers to the test on Oct. 21, 2025. Ryan Jones, Rachel Bremer, Andrew Hill, and Tyler Flanum spent the next hour coaching the visual flight rules (VFR)-only pilot through an instrument descent he had never been trained to fly. The pilot of N7291F, a Piper Cherokee, contacted air traffic control after becoming trapped above an extensive cloud layer east of a rapidly advancing cold front. Unable to descend safely through instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and without any IFR training or experience, the pilot faced an increasingly dire situation with limited options. Jones was working the radar position and in communication with the distressed pilot. Jones calmly gathered critical information while continuing to safely manage the rest of the traffic in his sector. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Jones and his coworkers quickly assembled additional resources to support the operation. Bremer assumed the manual controller or D-side position, coordinating continuously with surrounding facilities, gathering pilot reports, weather observations, and airport conditions to identify the safest course of action. As the operation became more complex, Hill, who is a pilot, was recruited to take over communication with N7291F. Hill provided invaluable expertise and helped develop a plan for safely guiding the pilot through instrument conditions. To reduce workload and dedicate maximum attention to the emergency aircraft, Flanum split the sector. Flanum assumed responsibility for the routine traffic allowing Hill to remain focused on N7291F. Throughout the event, Hill's composure and precise instructions provided reassurance to a pilot facing one of aviation's most challenging scenarios. One instruction at a time, he coached the pilot through an instrument descent from approximately 9,500 feet to below the cloud bases. Rachel Bremer Cleveland ARTCC ZOB Tyler Flanum Cleveland ARTCC ZOB Rachel Bremer Andrew Hill Ryan Jones Tyler Flanum

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