O/T: what defines an aircraft as "heavy"?

[david870mdg]

"Emirates xx_ HEAVY, clear for takeoff...." or similar.

What makes an aircraft include in its call sign "heavy"?
Is it a full load or size?

 

[munitalP]

What a great question...


Mr!

 

[ejb]

"Emirates xx_ HEAVY, clear for takeoff...." or similar.

What makes an aircraft include in its call sign "heavy"?
Is it a full load or size?

I always thought it referred to a plane carrying pax, but I have been known to be wrong before and I am sure I will be corrected soon enough if wrong.

ejb

 

[oz_mark]

I believe it is used to designate planes where the maximum takeoff weight is greater than 255,000 pounds (and 757's). Mostly it is widebody aircraft, and IIRC it is to do with wake turbulence issues with such aircraft.

 

[markis10]

Oz-Mark has got it right, aircraft are categorised as heavy/medium/light for the purposes of wake turbulence and the subsequent revised separation standards that need to be taken into account.

Heres more info from Flight Safety Australia Mag in 2000, pretty sure the standards have not changed too much since then, I dont have an AIP handy to check:

 

[Wannabee]

AIP ENR 1.4 (9)

http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/publications/pending/aip/enr/1_4_1-18.pdf

It refers to the weight categories that are used based on MTOW and it is used for Wake Turbulence Separation Standards

SUPER - A380
HEAVY - ABOVE 136,000KG
MEDIUM - 7,000 TO 136,000KG
LIGHT - UP TO 7,000KG

 

[ejb]

I told you I would be told I was wrong

Oh well.

ejb

 

[markis10]

There were no super's when I was an ATC

 

[maninblack]

"Emirates xx_ HEAVY, clear for takeoff...." or similar.

What makes an aircraft include in its call sign "heavy"?
Is it a full load or size?

This Emirates one must have been HEAVY in the tail
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/6858/a6erg.jpg

 

[oz_mark]

SUPER - A380
HEAVY - ABOVE 136,000KG
MEDIUM - 7,000 TO 136,000KG
LIGHT - UP TO 7,000KG

There you go - things need to be heavier (300,000 pounds versus 255,000 pounds that I thought it was)

 

[david870mdg]

Thanks everyone for your replies.
QANTAS 93 SUPER? Havent heard that one yet.

Interesting stuff.

David.