Air Traffic/Pilot Terminology

On 7/22/2007 1:31:09 PM, " wrote:

I was recently on a flight where I was able to listen to the Pilots
speak to Air Traffic control. It was quite fascinating but I
understood very little of what they were saying.

If you desire to listen to more ATC lingo, click your way over to
http://www.liveatc.net where there are over 150 live audio streams from ATC
facilities in the US and around the world.

--
Peter

Both FAA links below are obsolete. Go he
http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraff.../publications/
and follow the links to Aeronautical Information Manual and
Pilot/Controller Glossary.

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 21:57:59 +0200, Thomas Borchert
wrote:

,

The AIM previously mentioned is available he
http://www.faa.gov/atpubs/AIM/AIM.pdf

The Pilot/Controller Glossary, also helpful, is he
http://www.faa.gov/atpubs/PCG/PCG.pdf

If you are really interested, the book "Say Again" published by ASA
(www.asa2fly.com) and written by Bob Gardner who also frequents this
forum, is invaluable.

As for the slang mentioned by kontiki, it shouldn't happen.
Communications should be strictly standard as defined in the
publications above. But there are humans involved...

Newps wrote in
:



Tina wrote:
Aren't "heavy's" allowed to go faster under 10,000 feet as well?


No.


Isn't the limit 250 in CBAS regardless of altitude?

--
Marty Shapiro
Silicon Rallye Inc.

(remove SPAMNOT to email me)

Marty Shapiro wrote:
Newps wrote in
:



Tina wrote:

Aren't "heavy's" allowed to go faster under 10,000 feet as well?


No.



Isn't the limit 250 in CBAS regardless of altitude?


No.

Just wanted to thank everyone for their responses. Quite fascinating
stuff here. Thanks again.

Also, I was watching United 93 and they kept using the term "squawk".
I looked it up in a few resources mentioned but since I have no
aviation experience couldn't quite grasp the meaning. What exactly is
a squawk and what is it's function?

And you can listen to this online!!??? Awesome. anyone know of some of
the better sites?

T

On 7/22/2007 9:57:44 PM, " wrote:

And you can listen to this online!!??? Awesome. anyone know of some of
the better sites?

I posted the best resource for online ATC streaming. Did you miss that post
or is there something in my post's headers that results in them being
filtered?

--
Peter

I posted the best resource for online ATC streaming. Did you miss that post
or is there something in my post's headers that results in them being
filtered?

Peter,

I didn't miss your post. It said there were over a 150 options. I was
wondering if you could recommend a few. Or are they all the same.

Thank you for posting that information!

Zan

" wrote in
ps.com:

Just wanted to thank everyone for their responses. Quite fascinating
stuff here. Thanks again.

Also, I was watching United 93 and they kept using the term "squawk".
I looked it up in a few resources mentioned but since I have no
aviation experience couldn't quite grasp the meaning. What exactly is
a squawk and what is it's function?

And you can listen to this online!!??? Awesome. anyone know of some of
the better sites?

If it were me, I would pick one of the "Top 30" from an airport near a
place I am familiar with - near where I live or where I've been in the
past. There are lots of good options - New York's JFK, Boston's Logan, and
Orlando (everybody's been to Disney, right?) Being from New York, KJFK is
an easy pick for me, but there are plenty of cities up there that might
work better for you.

"Sqauwk" refers to the transponder code assigned to an aircraft. Most
airplanes have a transponder in them that communicates with Air Traffic
Control (ATC) Radar. Certain areas of the country require a plane to have a
transponder for entry, but less populated areas do not require it.

Most modern transponders can communicate both position and altitude back to
the radar system. Some of the new ones even have two-way communication
where other traffic and weather information is "beamed" back to the
airplane's system.

In order to identify a specific airplane, ATC will assign a "sqauwk code"
for the pilot to enter into his transponder to uniquely identify that plane
to the system. The code is typically a four digit number. Even
"uncontrolled" airplanes with transponders squawk a specific code (1200)
and appear on the ATC radar screen, even if they are not talking to ATC.
This allows ATC (and other planes with anti-collision systems) to "see"
them and ensure that they don't fly too close to them. There are also a few
"special codes" that pilots can enter into their transponder to alert ATC
to certain types of emergencies (like a radio failure or hijacking, when
telling ATC about it may be impossible).

Enjoy!

Newps wrote in news:boWdnW0rZd3klznbnZ2dnUVZ_o-
:





Isn't the limit 250 in CBAS regardless of altitude?


No.

Ok. I must have missed the change to 91.117. Do you know when it was
changed?

This is the version of 91.117 I'm familiar with:

§ 91.117 Aircraft speed.

(a) Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, no person may operate
an aircraft below 10,000 feet MSL at an indicated airspeed of more than 250
knots (288 m.p.h.).

(b) Unless otherwise authorized or required by ATC, no person may operate
an aircraft at or below 2,500 feet above the surface within 4 nautical
miles of the primary airport of a Class C or Class D airspace area at an
indicated airspeed of more than 200 knots (230 mph.). This paragraph (b)
does not apply to any operations within a Class B airspace area. Such
operations shall comply with paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) No person may operate an aircraft in the airspace underlying a Class B
airspace area designated for an airport or in a VFR corridor designated
through such a Class B airspace area, at an indicated airspeed of more than
200 knots (230 mph).

(d) If the minimum safe airspeed for any particular operation is greater
than the maximum speed prescribed in this section, the aircraft may be
operated at that minimum speed.

[Doc. No. 18334, 54 FR 34292, Aug. 18, 1989, as amended by Amdt. 91–219, 55
FR 34708, Aug. 24, 1990; Amdt. 91–227, 56 FR 65657, Dec. 17, 1991; Amdt.
91–233, 58 FR 43554, Aug. 17, 1993]

--
Marty Shapiro
Silicon Rallye Inc.

(remove SPAMNOT to email me)

,

What exactly is
a squawk and what is it's function?


That refers to the use of transponders or "secondary radar" (same
thing). As you may know, radar works by having a ground station send
out a radio signal and listen for the reply. The analysis of that reply
allows the detection of distance and direction of (metal) objects.

Most aircraft in addition have a "transponder" onboard, which reacts to
being hit by a radar beam by actively sending out a code, which is then
received by a secondary radar antenna mounted on top of the primary
radar. Hence, the air traffic controller will not only see the aircraft
on his/her screen, but each aircraft will have a code displayed next to
it. In its simplest form, this code consists of 4 digits which can be
set on the transponder by the pilot at the direction of ATC. This
four-digit-code is called "squawk" for historic reasons. So, ATC would
say "United XX, squawk 4536", and the pilot would then set that code,
which would then appear on the radar screen of the controller.

Having said all that, are you familiar with Wikipedia or Google?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squawk_code

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)