[Moose4]

"Heavy" is used for any aircraft (I think) that has a max gross takeoff weight of 300,000 pounds or more--Boeing 747s, 767s and 777s, DC-8s, DC-10s and MD-11s, Airbus A330s and A340s. They would communicate to the controllers as "Virgin 45 heavy." I think it's mainly used for ATC communications as a way of reminding controllers, "Hey, I'm a big-arsed A340 over here, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to make me do a real sharp turn near the airport, or vector that little Cessna in two miles behind me because of the wake turbulence."

}:-)4

[kcvl]

Canadian fighter jets can see inside the cockpit and don't see anyone in their with the pilots. Nothing seemed unusual. The passangers could see the fighter jets and NO ONE SEEMED UPSET. HELLO! Fighter jets and they aren't a bit upset?!

[MoodyBlu]

"Heavy" is used for any aircraft (I think) that has a max gross takeoff weight of 300,000 pounds or more--Boeing 747s, 767s and 777s, DC-8s, DC-10s and MD-11s, Airbus A330s and A340s. They would communicate to the controllers as "Virgin 45 heavy." I think it's mainly used for ATC communications as a way of reminding controllers, "Hey, I'm a big-arsed A340 over here, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to make me do a real sharp turn near the airport, or vector that little Cessna in two miles behind me because of the wake turbulence."

You are correct. Just think of it this way; if Michael Moore could get his fat-a$$ in a Cessna 152, we in ATC then would refer to the Cessna as a "heavy". It's all about wake turbulence.

MoodyBlu

[Xenophobic Alien]

You my good man are excatley correct. Wake turbulence behind a "H/747/Q" Heavy 747 can send a small plane for a loop.