Can pilots talk to other planes?

There is typically very little air-to-air talk except at uncontrolled airports where they talk to each other on a frequency assigned to that field in order to coordinate arrivals and departures. There are standard procedures for those radio calls. Pilots flying in formation will talk to each other also.



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Pilots are able to hear conversations between other pilots and air traffic control (ATC) while they are in the cockpit. As a pilot, what is the angriest exchange you've heard between another pilot and Air Traffic Control (ATC)? Well, not angry, but embarrassing.

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Depending on the aviation rules a pilot is flying under they will use their eyesight to 'See & Avoid' other aircraft when flying under Visual Flight Rules, or when flying under Instrument Flight Rules they will be guided by an air traffic controller to ensure traffic separation when unable to see.

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The truth is that pilots who fly at night will navigate using instruments instead of what they can see outside. This type of flying is conducted under instrument flight rules. Some ground features may be visible, but visual cues aren't normally as reliable in the darkness as in the daytime.

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Whether flying at night or during the day, pilots need to see some kind of horizon. They use this to determine the airplane's attitude. At night pilots will turn their gaze from outside to inside and use the artificial horizon. The artificial horizon is normally a simply globe split into two hemispheres.

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The word heavy means a larger aircraft type, with a Maximum Takeoff Weight of 160 tonnes or more. These aircraft create wake turbulence from their wings and require extra separation between following aircraft, and the use of heavy reminds other pilots of that fact.

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Pre-flight Announcement We ask that you please fasten your seatbelts at this time and secure all baggage underneath your seat or in the overhead compartments. We also ask that your seats and table trays are in the upright position for take-off.

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Pilots and ATCs talk fast because both parties understand that they are small parts of a very big, very efficient system.

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Private pilots are allowed to carry passengers, just not for hire. Interestingly enough, private pilots can split the costs of a flight with friends and family. That means if you have a group who wants to fly with you, they can help you pay for it all.

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But if you've ever felt compelled to applaud the pilot for landing safely, think again. Pilots actually hate it when passengers clap.

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The number of “souls” on an aircraft refers to the total living bodies on the plane: every passenger, pilot, flight attendant and crew member, according to Lord-Jones. Pilots often report the number of “souls” when declaring an emergency, she says, so rescuers know the amount of people to search for.

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The pilot-in-command of an aircraft shall have final authority as to the disposition of the aircraft while in command. ICAO Annex 2, par. 2.3. 1, specifically empowers the PIC to override any other regulation in an emergency, and to take the safest course of action at his/her sole discretion.

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Pan-Pan, short for “possible assistance needed,” is used to communicate an urgent, but not emergency, situation over VHF radio, in the case of aviation, to air traffic control. Examples could include a recreational pilot getting lost, or perhaps needing to climb to a higher altitude to sort a problem out.

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On many aircraft types, pilots can open the side windows in the cockpit. The main reason for this is not for ventilation or vision; it is related to aircraft safety law.

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A lot of airports have restrictions on night flights because of noise issues. Also some smaller domestic airports close at night. There are a few that leave late at night in order to take advantage of the time difference in the arrival city. There aren't more because there isn't much demand for them.

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Flight times within the duty periods are restricted to a maximum of 8 hours for flight crews consisting of one pilot and 10 hours for flight crews consisting of two pilots. The 8-hour and 10-hour flight time limitations include any additional commercial flying performed by the flight crew during the period.

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