Sport Pilot Talk

When I contact a tower or when requesting flight following. I always announce myself as "Light Sport 693JP." I often get prompted with 693JP specify aircraft type. Unfortunately, if I respond with Tecnam Eaglet P92, I generally get some form of "huh?"

So, which would be the better of the following two responses?:

A) ICAO Designation ECHO
B) Like a 162 Skycatcher

Echo Charlie Hotel Oscar, Let them look it up, then maybe they will remember.

A

JJ Campbell wrote: Unfortunately, if I respond with Tecnam Eaglet P92, I generally get some form of "huh?"

That's because there are now something like 180 different makes and models of LSA, and nobody knows them all. If you say "Light Sport," they won't know whether you're an airplane, a glider, a gyroplane, a powered parachute, a hot air balloon, or a weight shift control trike. Saying "Light Sport airplane" is a little more informative, because at least it gives ATC an inkling of what they're dealing with. If the frequency isn't too congested, I usually say "Echo Victor Sierra Sierra, a Light Sport airplane." That usually elicits no further questions.

I usually just check in with “Experimental Sky Arrow”. That’s usually all it takes. If queried, I give the identifier, SKAR. If it’s not busy, sometimes a short conversation about my Eye-talian built Light Sport may ensue.

"FDCT"

The SportCruiser is “CRUZ”.

I have had the best luck with:
“Type of aircraft echo charlie hotel oscar”
Many times they have then proceeded to call me Echo and tail number.

Wouldn’t be simpler to just say Cessna 172 Like performance class ?
That’s all they need to know really ..

You do that, and in the unfortunate event of an accident, they'll send CAP out searching for a Cessna 172!

drseti wrote:You do that, and in the unfortunate event of an accident, they'll send CAP out searching for a Cessna 172!

Only if they are not really listening at which point then why bother ... - specifying “a low wing” with Cessna 172 like performance should cover both ends since gives them enough info to sequence the plane properly and visually identify as well.

These days running ones tail number via google ( which is really a 5 second op) will give you everything you need to know about the plane.

@3Dreaming and @FastEddieB are right. When they ask for "aircraft type" respond with the ICAO Type Designator. The P-92 Eaglet is "ECHO".
Just say, "ICAO Type Designator is Echo Charlie Hotel Oscar."

Scooper wrote:@3Dreaming and @FastEddieB are right. When they ask for "aircraft type" respond with the ICAO Type Designator. The P-92 Eaglet is "ECHO".
Just say, "ICAO Type Designator is Echo Charlie Hotel Oscar."
Tecnam P-92.jpg

I have done it with my Sting and didn’t work to well, still had to describe my plane in terms of performance etc ..

Warmi wrote:

Scooper wrote:@3Dreaming and @FastEddieB are right. When they ask for "aircraft type" respond with the ICAO Type Designator. The P-92 Eaglet is "ECHO".
Just say, "ICAO Type Designator is Echo Charlie Hotel Oscar."
Tecnam P-92.jpg

I have done it with my Sting and didn’t work to well, still had to describe my plane in terms of performance etc ..

It sounds like they were either too lazy to look it up or didn't understand what is commonly meant by asking for "aircraft type." That term is used when filing a flight plan to give ATC performance characteristics, and the AIM specifies what the term means in completing FAA Form 7233-4 International Flight Plan (now recommended for domestic IFR flights) this way:
"3. Item 9. Number, Type of Aircraft, and
Wake Turbulence Category.
(b) Type of Aircraft.
(1) Insert the appropriate designator as
specified in ICAO Doc 8643, Aircraft Type
Designators."

The other day was flying a Tecnam P2002 (SIRA) and was heading into a class C airport for a touch and go, took three calls of "huh?" and "Say aircraft type please" to get the point across. I usually say "we're a Tecnam P2002, identifier Sierra India Romeo Alpha" and that usually works. But yeah Tecnams are kind of an unknown among aircraft types.