Why do pilots say airspeed alive?

The pilot verbalizes “Airspeed Alive” as a reminder to verify that the airspeed indicator is working. If the airspeed indicator doesn't show an indication that it is working, the pilot would typically abandon the take-off while still on the runway and get it fixed before flying.



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“True airspeed is important because performance charts in your Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) are based on true airspeed. True airspeed is a calculated number depicting how fast the aircraft is moving through a still air mass. It is computed using indicated airspeed, pressure altitude, and temperature.

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A: The 80-knot call is to ensure that both airspeed indicators are functioning and indicating properly. The rudder is becoming effective at that speed, too. Q: Do any runways come to mind that are too short to abort a takeoff having almost reached takeoff speed? — Jeff, Stuart, Fla.

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Not much is said, apart from the pilot monitoring calling out a few conditions being met: “Power Set” or “Thrust Set”: The engines have now reached the selected power level (it takes a few seconds for the engines to spool up from idle) “80 knots” or “100 knots”: The aircraft has reached a speed of 80/100 knots.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Why do they say eject 3 times? The common practice was for the pilot to say eject, eject, eject. The first time was to get my attention, the second was to confirm the order and get me ready to eject, and the third to pull the handle.

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The callout from the pilots like LOC blue serves to remind themselves of the current flight guidance modes, and to maintain awareness of mode changes. This is also to ensure that their mental idea of what the aircraft will do next is up to date and fits to the current flight situation.

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Why do pilots say Niner instead of nine? It comes from military use of the alphabet and numbers to prevent confusion over the radio. Over a staticky radio, “nine” may be confused with “five”. Making nine into two syllables relieves any possible confusion since the only other two syllable number is seven.

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A: As a jet descends toward the runway, the pilot increases the power to maintain a specific descent rate (usually around 700 feet per minute). Jet engines require time to accelerate, so the increase in thrust (known as spooling up) improves the ability to go around should it be necessary.

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Broadly and generally, the reasons a pilot may leave the flight deck in flight can be grouped into two categories: first, physiological breaks – restroom, stretch, or required rest on longer routes; and second, operational breaks – handling a passenger, aircraft, or crew issue that requires the pilot to leave the ...

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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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It had come back from the brink of one nose dive when the fatalsecond descent began, a plunge of 18,000 feet in 75 seconds intothe Pacific Ocean. “Ah, here we go” were pilot Thompson's last words.

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