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Your operating limitations are what state the requirement that on initial call to an FAA control tower, you identify yourself as experimental. It is not a requirement when contacting enroute center or approach/departure control facilities, regardless of what they say they want or whether you are a common experimental or not. |
I fly an experimental exhibition Cessna 172 (1958), and its Operating Limitations only require that one reference the experimental nature of the aircraft when filing a flight plan (which I almost never do). Nothing about when talking to or initiating contact with ATC. I was doing young eagle flights Sunday and never once mentioned "experimental" to either the tower or to ATC (we flew from a class D field and were on flight following for each flight). No problem mentioned by ATC. But too I have ADS-B out, so ATC and anyone with and ADS-B receiver can see my N number. I normally say either Cessna NXXXXX (full call sign) or Cessna NXXX (abreviated call sign) when announcing position at uncontrolled airfields. Is there an AC or other requirement to announce "Experimental" to ATC?
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On the other hand, if you have older op lims that DO include that paragraph, you are bound by them. |
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I personally don't care what people do, but the type/color guys just seems amateurish to me, based on the locals who seem to use this verbiage.
It's also annoying to have 2 or 3 red and white 172's in the pattern. I like N numbers not for viewing but for positive communication and lack of confusion. Color/Type with multiple aircraft of the same type in the pattern causes ambiguity, IMO.. I'm also an ""RV 314L" not "Experimental 314L." |
Just got back from Ranger, TX fly in yesterday. Chose to file IFR to get there than cancelled when we had the field visually.
We obviously used our N number while IFR, until after cancelling. We entered the pattern behind a "yellow Maule and yellow biplane" separation was maintained and everyone lived. |
I use N number exclusively. I could care less what kind of airplane, helo or self-propelled flying car you are - youre a boggie in the air that I need to keep track of.
To belabor the point, some pilots are in-fact color blind, have crappy "corrected" vision, and are airplane-type stupid, so knowing these things is immaterial. As some previous posters pointed out, youre just a smudge in the sky, so your existence and location is all I want to know. When were both on the ground, then we can BS about the pretty stuff. Of course, just my .02. |
Your call is what counts.
OK, this is just what we have found and not the law of the land, kind of thing.
The old NACA reports and military study's showed that after a cetane distance all aircraft become a gray dot in the field of view. Using an N numbers is cool, but if you are an EXp. it is a good idea to let ATC know up front. It is kind of like calling Piper XXX or Cessna XXX, it gives the ATC guys a mental picture of your type or to ask what type you are to get an idea of how to handle you in the system. This also works around the Patch even if you are not using ATC. And as we all know, using the shortest amount of words and clearest standard is safer for the most of us in the air. We try to stick to that format. On first call, we use "Exp. XXX", then if asked as does happen we use the Type identifier that is correct for our aircraft at the time, "RV-8". Then we go to the commonly accepted practice of shorting the call out to " XXX or XX". We have found that this format is well liked by ATC, works well around the Patch, sticks pretty close to what the rules ask us to do and makes things go smoother and safer. Just what we have found down through the years. Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888 |
Idenitify?
Heading to uncontrolled airport.......30 miles out in my RV8. I hear...
Exp left down wind,, left base. It?s doing circuits,,, touch and goes... Is it a Cub?.. Is it a jet?... Is it an RV?... Color? I don?t care, but if it?s an exp jet or exp RV or Cub,, that information might help me look closer to where it might be. Usually??? Jets fly a bigger pattern than a Cub. |
I am reminded of a tale that Bob Morse of the Lima-Lima flight team told me:
"There I was, leading a six ship formation of T-34s with a new guy flying tail-end-Charlie. As a matter of procedure, lead talked to ATC, and the rest of the guys in the flight monitored and communicated on a private freq." "We were approaching Chicago, or Fort Wayne, or Indianapolis (I forget) at an altitude somewhere between five and seven feet above the published ceiling of the airspace in question." "I hit the flip-flop on the radio and announced, 'Fort Wayne Approach, this is Bob. My friends and I are going to muss up your airspace for a bit. I'll let you know when we're done.' My wingman, without missing a beat replied 'Bob! Fort Wayne Approach. How you doin'? Do what you want. Let us know when you're through.' and added the altimeter setting as a nice touch." "There was a pause, and then the new guy said, 'Wow.'" |
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