Why do pilots say heavy?

Wake turbulence poses a major risk to other aircraft, so pilots and ATC use the term “heavy” in radio transmissions as a reminder that the aircraft's wake may be dangerous to others passing behind or below the flightpath of these larger-mass aircraft.

Why is an aircraft called heavy?

The FAA defines heavy aircraft as those with a maximum takeoff weight of 300,000 pounds or more. These heavy aircraft don't have to be operating at that weight, but they still get designated as heavy.

Why do pilots say Niner?

Aviators often speak “pilot English” to avoid miscommunications over radio transmission. “Tree” for instance, means three, “fife” is the number five and “niner” means nine, says Tom Zecha, a manager at AOPA. The variations stemmed from a desire to avoid confusion between similar-sounding numbers, he says.

Why do pilots say rotate?

During the takeoff roll, the pilot monitoring the displays (PM) will call out the two important speeds: V1 and rotate. This indicates to the pilot flying the aircraft (PF) when they are beyond the safe stopping speed and when to rotate the aircraft into the air.

Why do pilots say Speedbird?

In the 1940's, BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) used the name of its logo, the “Speedbird,” as a call sign. In the early 1970's, BOAC become British Airways through a merger and continued to use “Speedbird.” The call sign was especially appropriate when used by the supersonic Concorde.

WHY do pilots say HEAVY? Wake Turbulence EXPLAINED BY CAPTAIN JOE

Why do pilots say pickle?

Pickle. Slang reference by pilots to the release of ordnance (bombs and canisters) over a target, one at a time in close sequence, on one pass. Such a release allowed the ordnance to cover a larger linear area.

Why do fighter pilots say bra?

Bearing Range Altitude (Aspect. Measured in degrees and broadly categorized as "hot" aspect for an opponent coming straight on, "flank" for one heading roughly 30-45 degrees off, "beam" for 90's off, and cold for heading away in the same direction.).

Why can't pilots look at the ground?

The three-dimensional environment of flight is unfamiliar to the human body, creating sensory conflicts and illusions that make spatial orientation difficult and sometimes impossible to achieve. The result of these various visual and nonvisual illusions is spatial disorientation.

Why do pilots say airspeed is alive?

"Airspeed alive" means that the aircraft has passed this speed and the airspeed indicator has started to move above the minimum speed that it can display. Also it helps to validate that both the indicator is working and that you are making speed at the expected rate.

Why do pilots always sit on the left?

Sitting on the left side of the cockpit, the PIC has a better view of the runway during traffic patterns to the left. The left-turning tendencies caused by P-factor, a symmetrical thrust, spiraling slipstream, and torque make it easier for the airplane to turn to the left rather than the right.

What do pilots call on crash?

If distress, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAY-DAY; if urgency, PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN.

What do pilots say before takeoff?

“Line up and wait” (taxi onto the runway and wait for a takeoff clearance) “Cleared to cross runway two seven” (taxi across runway 27) “Fly heading two three zero, Runway two seven Left, Cleared for takeoff” (After takeoff, fly a magnetic heading of 230º. Cleared to takeoff on Runway 27 Left)

What does pan-pan pan stand for?

The radiotelephony message PAN-PAN is the international standard urgency signal that someone aboard a boat, ship, aircraft, or other vehicle uses to declare that they need help and that the situation is urgent, but for the time being, does not pose an immediate danger to anyone's life or to the vessel itself.

Is a 767 considered a heavy?

What does “Heavy” really mean? The FAA requires any aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight in excess of 300,000lbs to use the term “heavy.” This includes Boeing 747, 767, 777, and 787 aircraft.

Can 787 fly on one engine?

To put it into actual time, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner is certified for ETOPS-330. This means that the plane can fly on routes that take it 330 minutes from the nearest suitable airport for landing. To put this in perspective, the 787 can fly for five and a half hours on one engine.

How do planes fly if they are so heavy?

The way air moves around the wings gives the airplane lift. The shape of the wings helps with lift, too. Weight is the force that pulls the airplane toward Earth. Airplanes are built so that their weight is spread from front to back.

Why don't pilots fly straight?

Flight plans need to account for the curvature of the earth when they are created. Since the earth is three-dimensional, it would be impossible not to fly in an arc. Another reason that planes would choose to fly in a trajectory that resembles an arc is to account for the amount of traffic that will be in the air.

What do pilots say for yes?

Affirm: Contrary to popular belief, pilots do not say “affirmative” when they mean yes – the correct term is affirm, pronounced “AY-firm.”

Why can pilots only fly so many hours?

Commercial pilots are typically limited to working a certain number of hours in order to ensure that they are well-rested and alert while flying. This is due to the fact that fatigue can be a significant contributor to aviation accidents.

Why do planes not fly west?

Since it can't match the Earth's rotational speed, a westward plane technically travels east — just like the entire planet beneath it. It just has engines that help it travel east a little more slowly than everything else, making it move west relative to the ground.

Why can't pilots be color blind?

color blind. Pilots need to identify different colors to fly successfully. Therefore, pilots are tested for their color perception when they see an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) for a medical certificate. Your AME will give you a color blindness test.

What do pilots see when they fly?

Pilots have a unique viewpoint while flying private or commercial aircraft. They get an unobstructed view of stunning natural sights, such as pink lakes and rectangular-shaped icebergs. Some have reported seeing UFOs, while others have flown over swirling hurricanes.

What do you call a pilot with 10 kills?

A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually considered to be five or more.

Why do pilots say tally ho?

It was used by RAF fighter pilots in the Second World War to tell their controller they were about to engage enemy aircraft. It was also used to announce to the squadron leader (or other person of command in the flight) the spotting of an enemy aircraft.

Why do flight instructors cut their shirt?

Shirt cutting is a sign of an instructor's new confidence in their student, symbolizing that they no longer require the instructor's hands-on assistance, as they once did. To celebrate their accomplishment, students decorate their shirttail however they'd like.