Squawking 7700

boondr

boondr

Penalty Vectorer
Up until yesterday I had seen it maybe 3 times in ~8+ years controlling(plenty of emergencies but most are identified without the need for the squawk). Yesterday afternoon just before 3pm, 3 separate aircraft within 10nm of AML squawked 7700 within 30 secs of each other on the back edge of some thunderstorms. They were in the high FL's (370, 350, and 410). The grapevine is telling me is was due to severe/extreme turbulence and they couldn't maintain control/altitude but I have been unable to find any reports as such.

Anyone know anymore about this? Due to proximity to DC I am told the event put quite a scare into the National Security apparatus.
 
I'm just guessing but maybe they couldn't get through to ATC on the radios (static or congestion) and they needed to deviate, ASAP, so they squaked 7700 and deviated.

Were any of them UAL flights? You know they had that turbulance issue a couple weeks ago, maybe they are now being told to go 7700 and deviate? I usually just deviate, without the 7700, but maybe I'm doing it wrong...
 
Timbo said:
I'm just guessing but maybe they couldn't get through to ATC on the radios (static or congestion) and they needed to deviate, ASAP, so they squaked 7700 and deviated.

Were any of them UAL flights? You know they had that turbulance issue a couple weeks ago, maybe they are now being told to go 7700 and deviate? I usually just deviate, without the 7700, but maybe I'm doing it wrong...
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I have no idea who they were( I work approach) and not to be wiseass but 7700 isn't exactly a discrete squawk you can search on the FDIO.
 
Timbo said:
I'm just guessing but maybe they couldn't get through to ATC on the radios (static or congestion) and they needed to deviate, ASAP, so they squaked 7700 and deviated.

Were any of them UAL flights? You know they had that turbulance issue a couple weeks ago, maybe they are now being told to go 7700 and deviate? I usually just deviate, without the 7700, but maybe I'm doing it wrong...
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I understand completely, but if you get the chance let us know ASAP as well, pretty please, thanks:D
 
Well we are told when in an emergency situation, "declare an emergency and do what you need to do", so if they couldn't get a clearance from ATC to deviate (raido issues), they could sq. 7700 and do what they need to do. And what's FDIO?
 
boondr said:
I understand completely, but if you get the chance let us know ASAP as well, pretty please, thanks:D
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We would all love to, but when you are -in the crap - the radios go to full static, so they are pretty much useless.
 
Timbo said:
Well we are told when in an emergency situation, "declare an emergency and do what you need to do", so if they couldn't get a clearance from ATC to deviate (raido issues), they could sq. 7700 and do what they need to do. And what's FDIO?
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Antiquated flight plan computer. Stands for Flight Data- Input/Output. Think about the very first computer you ever saw and this thing probably predates it. Zero graphics with CRT tone-on-tone green screen. It is where we get our strips and amend routes and such.
 
Timbo said:
We would all love to, but when you are -in the crap - the radios go to full static, so they are pretty much useless.
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Very well, do what ya need to and I miss you with the rest of the players. Just make sure that TCAS is on.
 
boondr said:
Very well, do what ya need to and I miss you with the rest of the players. Just make sure that TCAS is on.
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TCAS? What's that? :bandit:

I was picking through a line last week that made my radios go to complete static for 2-3 minutes. Luckily I'd already picked out a good heading to get through it; if I'd have had to deviate, I'd just kinda have to do it and hope you notice quick enough to get anyone out of the way. Sucks!
 
dasleben said:
TCAS? What's that? :bandit:

I was picking through a line last week that made my radios go to complete static for 2-3 minutes. Luckily I'd already picked out a good heading to get through it; if I'd have had to deviate, I'd just kinda have to do it and hope you notice quick enough to get anyone out of the way. Sucks!
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We wouldn't notice, you guys (in the 402's, not all of you) can't fly a straight line to save your lives anyways, so if you had to fly crooked one to do it it would be status quo.:pirate:
 
boondr said:
We wouldn't notice, you guys (in the 402's, not all of you) can't fly a straight line to save your lives anyways, so if you had to fly crooked one to do it it would be status quo.:pirate:
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Hahaha, it's very true. You can always tell when we're flying non-GPS aircraft. Both BAL and LRP are terrible VORs...the needles just wander back and forth, which means that we're usually just picking a heading and splitting the difference.

"KAPXXX, cleared direct Baltimore."
"Thought I already was!"

:D
 
BTW on a serious note, one thing I have always been taught even if you don't think you need it, when there is weather use altitude. It never fails the two planes 20 miles apart going away from each other at the same altitude will find some reason to want to deviate through the same hole in the weather. So course deviations, even without approval are normally not a problem.
 
Timbo said:
I'm just guessing but maybe they couldn't get through to ATC on the radios (static or congestion) and they needed to deviate, ASAP, so they squaked 7700 and deviated.

Were any of them UAL flights? You know they had that turbulance issue a couple weeks ago, maybe they are now being told to go 7700 and deviate? I usually just deviate, without the 7700, but maybe I'm doing it wrong...
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I'm reporting you to the FSDO!!!! Yargh! :yar::sarcasm:
 
boondr said:
Antiquated flight plan computer. Stands for Flight Data- Input/Output. Think about the very first computer you ever saw and this thing probably predates it. Zero graphics with CRT tone-on-tone green screen. It is where we get our strips and amend routes and such.
Click to expand...

It can't be that old. I went down to the radar room aboard ship and my guys introduced me to the UYK-7 computer that's doing all the fancy math to guide the missiles into airplanes, and then showed me the stack of punch-cards that they used to load the program onto the computer. I just hope that in the heat of battle and having to do a computer reload they didn't drop the stack and get all the cards mixed up.
 
dasleben said:
Hahaha, it's very true. You can always tell when we're flying non-GPS aircraft. Both BAL and LRP are terrible VORs...the needles just wander back and forth, which means that we're usually just picking a heading and splitting the difference.

"KAPXXX, cleared direct Baltimore."
"Thought I already was!"

:D
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:rotfl:
 
It sucks when you're in the soup, penetrating rough air with the radios all staticy, and you can't get ahold of ATC to get a deviation. Sometimes I just have to suck it, make the deviation, and tell ATC about it when I get back in contact with them.

Whenever a freight pilot gets a deviation from rough air, it usually means all hell has broken loose.:)
 
pullup said:
I'm reporting you to the FSDO!!!! Yargh! :yar::sarcasm:
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That's OK, I've got friends that work at most of the FSDO's, when you call, tell them they owe me beer too!

Those cheap-ass 'gubmint' employees are wasting my tax dollars on Asian kiddie porn when they should be buying me Sam Adams!
 
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