Why do pilots speak in code?

For the purpose of safety, much of aviation is standardized, including communication. Pilots use the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Phonetic Alphabet to communicate. Pilots never pronounce letters when they are transmitting to Air Traffic Control, and vice-versa.



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The language of aviation came about from a need for safety. To avoid pilots and controllers mishearing each other and potentially creating an accident, a language of aviation terms and phrases were compiled in the Pilot/Controller Glossary.

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Pilots use the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Phonetic Alphabet to communicate. Pilots never pronounce letters when they are transmitting to Air Traffic Control, and vice-versa. Instead, each letter of the alphabet is assigned a code word to represent the letter.

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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.

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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 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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Series 20 — Code 2000 is to recognize an aircraft that has not received instructions from the air traffic control units to operate the transponder.

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Squawk 1000 is a code assigned by air traffic control to indicate that an aircraft is experiencing an emergency.

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Therefore, when pilots say the word rotate on takeoff, it serves as a clear reminder for them to carry out the rotation. The pilot needs to make sure that they lift the nose of the airplane off the ground at the precise time required for the plane to take off.

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Reserved codes are used in particular situations when an aircraft wants to communicate something to ATC urgently. The most well know of these is the code 7700. This is used to indicate an emergency of any kind.

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Squawking 7500 signifies an aircraft being hijacked and could result in an aircraft being escorted by military forces.

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Squawk 7000: This is the 'conspicuity code' for VFR aircraft that are not assigned a specific code by ATC. Squawk 2000: This is the 'conspicuity code' for IFR aircraft that are not assigned a specific code by ATC.

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Why do pilots tell you how high you are? Answer: It is normally part of the welcome aboard announcement as a matter of interest. We provide the time of the flight, the cruise altitude, landmarks of interest along way and the weather.

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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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At cruising altitude, most commercial airplanes fly at a speed of roughly 500 to 600 mph. When landing, however, they must reduce their speed. A typical 747, for instance, has a landing speed of about 160 to 170 mph. And upon touching the runway, airplanes must quickly brake until they come to a complete stop.

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