Specify Aircraft Type

Jason spent 24 years as an air traffic controller at Los Angeles Center, and recently moved east to work in DC in the Airspace office as an air traffic subject matter expert. He is a Sport Pilot, owns a Rans S12XL E-LSA, and got his >87 knot endorsement so he can rent a C162. He's here to answer your questions about ATC procedures and rules, in a strictly unofficial capacity.

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JJ Campbell
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Specify Aircraft Type

Post by JJ Campbell »

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
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Tecnam P92 Eaglet
3Dreaming
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by 3Dreaming »

Echo Charlie Hotel Oscar, Let them look it up, then maybe they will remember.
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FastEddieB
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by FastEddieB »

A
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drseti
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by drseti »

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.
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FastEddieB
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by FastEddieB »

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.
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Wm.Ince
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by Wm.Ince »

"FDCT"
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ShawnM
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by ShawnM »

The SportCruiser is “CRUZ”.
Type47
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by Type47 »

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.
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Warmi
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by Warmi »

Wouldn’t be simpler to just say Cessna 172 Like performance class ?
That’s all they need to know really ..
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drseti
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by drseti »

You do that, and in the unfortunate event of an accident, they'll send CAP out searching for a Cessna 172! :x
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Warmi
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by Warmi »

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

Post by Scooper »

@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
Tecnam P-92.jpg (112.47 KiB) Viewed 4142 times
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Warmi
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by Warmi »

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 ..
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Scooper
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by Scooper »

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."
FAA Form 7233-4.jpg
FAA Form 7233-4.jpg (103.06 KiB) Viewed 4078 times
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Re: Specify Aircraft Type

Post by AviatorCrafty »

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.
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