United 969 Heavy

[British Pilot]

I have been listening to the ATC feeds on the following site, to try and help me with my own radio communication, and get my ear tuned to picking up the relevant information.

What does "heavy" mean?

This is the site, it's great, I feel informed and geeky all at the same time whenever I tune in.

http://www.liveatc.net/feedindex.php?type=all

 

[BCTAv8r]

Means it's a certain category of aircraft set by weights I believe. Aircraft like the 767, 777, and 747 are among some considered to be "heavy".

 

[minnflyer]

Don't have my FAR/AIM with me tonight, but I found this elsewhere online:

Heavy aircraft are those capable of a takeoff weight of more than 255,000 pounds. This is of particular interest to controllers when they are separating aircraft based on wake turbulence separation minima.

There are also two other weight classes: large aircraft are certificated for 41,000 pounds up to 255,000 pounds. Small aircraft includes everything else.

 

[n57flyguy]

If you jion up with live atc.net forums, there was a huge disscussion about heavy.(JC is way better in my opinion)

Heavy means an aircraft with a take off wieght of 255,000 pounds are more and is titled heavy becasue, well its heavy and it generats a high amount of wake turbulance. I do believe after a heavy aircraft takes off and the next aircraft lines up (position and hold) there is a spacing of 5nm to were a normal aircraft spacing is 3nm.

I do also believe the FAA termed the 757 heavy because of the amount of wake turbulance it generated.

Hope that helped.

 

[I_Money]

It is mostly used in Britain and the US - I guess that is where obesity is the biggest problem!

 

[pilotnate23]

A plane is considered a "heavy" if it's max take-off weight is 255,000 lb or more. So you could have a lightly loaded 747 and still have to call it a heavy.

 

[British Pilot]

Thanks, that makes sense now!