When an aviation radio call includes the word “heavy” as an addition to a callsign, it references an aircraft's weight. But the pilots of a 747 aren't letting ATC know they ate too many donuts at breakfast—the term “heavy” is used as a reminder to all involved that an aircraft leaves a more severe wake in its path.
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Boeing aircraft like 747, 777 and 787, and Airbus birds like A300; A330; and A350 are classified into the heavy aircraft category with a maximum take-off weight exceeding 300,000 pounds. Hence, these large aircraft leave strong wake turbulence.
A Squawk 7700 indicates an emergency. This can be an emergency of any kind. Pilots may input it into the transponder themselves – or when instructed to do so by ATC. As a result, ground control will know that the aircraft is dealing with a serious issue and needs help.
The maximum landing weight (MLW) is the maximum aircraft gross weight due to design or operational limitations at which an aircraft is permitted to land. The MLW is set in order to ensure safe landings; if an aircraft weighs too heavy during touchdown, it may suffer structural damage or even break apart upon landing.
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner that was designed and built by Boeing. The B753 is member of the B757 family of aircraft. Note: Common practice is to consider B757 as 'HEAVY' (H) for the purpose of assessing wake turbulence generated by this aircraft.
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.
Being a pilot can be stressful at times. It requires immense concentration, quick decision-making, and a lot of patience. A pilot is responsible for the well-being of all crew members and passengers on board, and they sometimes have to fly under unpredictable conditions.
How hard is a pilots life? Airline operations are nearly 24/7, 365-day-per-year operations. This means many weekends, holidays, early morning starts, and late-night finishes. Pilots lack control over these schedules, too, and we – at least at most airlines – operate on a schedule one month at a time.
Due to the risks to flight safety posed by ADHD, regulatory authorities worldwide consider ADHD a disqualifying condition for pilots. Unfortunately, pilots sometimes fail to disclose ADHD to their Aviation Medical Examiner (AME).
“Thanks for the flight, guys!” The biggest compliment you can give to a pilot when leaving an airplane is to thank them for their hard work and dedication in getting you safely from point A to point B.
WHY PILOTS NEED A WATCH THEY CAN TRUST. In the early days of aviation, pilots would quite literally be taking their own life in their hands each time they took off; such was the fledgling nature of the technology at their disposal. Relying on their instrumentation and timing was an essential survival skill.