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routed via computers to the proper company, relieving some of the necessity
for routine voice communication. With ACARS, routine items such as
departure reports, arrival reports, passenger loads, fuel data, engine
performance data, and more can be retrieved from the aircraft at automatic
intervals. The transmission will sound like a short data burst to the ABM1 user.
THOSE FAST-TALKING PILOTS AND CONTROLLERS!
Aviation communication is brief but it is clear and full of meaning. Usually,
pilots repeat back exactly what they hear from a controller so that both know
that the message or instructions were correctly interpreted. If you are listening
in it is hard to track everything said from a cockpit, particularly in big city
areas. Just to taxi, take off, and fly a few miles, a pilot may talk with 6 or 8
different air traffic control operations, all on different frequencies, all within a
few minutes! Here are the meanings of a few typical communications:
"Miami Center, Delta 545 Heavy out of three-zero for two-five."
Delta Flight 545 acknowledges Miami Center's clearance to descend from
30,000 feet to 25,000 feet altitude. The word "heavy" means that the plane is
a jumbo jet such as 747, DC-10, etc.
"Seneca 432 Lima cleared to outer marker. Contact Tower 118.7."
The local Approach Control is saying that the Piper Seneca with the N-number
(tail number) ending in "432L" is cleared to continue flying an instrument
approach to the outer marker (a precision radio beacon located near the
airport) and should immediately call the airport radio control tower at 118.7
Mhz. This message also implies that the approach controller does not expect
to talk again with that aircraft.
"Cessna 723, squawk 6750, climb and maintain five thousand."
A controller is telling the Cessna pilot to set the airplane's radar transponder to
code 6750, climb to and fly level at an altitude of 5000 feet.
"United 330, traffic at 9 o'clock, 4 miles, altitude unknown."
The controller alerts United Airlines flight #330 of radar contact with some
other aircraft off to the pilot's left at a 9 o'clock position. Since the unknown
plane's altitude is also unknown, both controller and pilot realize that it is a
smaller private plane not equipped with altitude-reporting equipment.
ELECTRONICS & FLYING: DOING IT "BY THE NUMBERS"
A peek at the sample FAA "instrument approach" chart for medium-large
airports shows that pilots deal with many vitally important numbers and must
do so quickly. Among the numbers on that chart, can you find the air-ground
communications frequencies which can be heard on the ABM1 receiver? Can
you find frequencies for uses other than communications?
AR2 • 6
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