Call sign

[Gren8]

Hi,

Are 737s qualified to use "heavy" for their call signs?

Just curious why the word "heavy" is used for aircraft call signs?

Which aircraft types would use "heavy" in real-life?

Any suggestion? Thanks

Gren8

[Lou_Betti]

There is no 737 in the world, nor 757, 727 or 707 that could use the word "heavy" in the call sign. I forget the exact weight requirement, though little doubt someone wil be here within 30 seconds to remind me, but the 737 does does not fall into that category.

Is it 250,000 lbs? Hell if I can remember! ;-)

Regards,
[link:www.dreamfleet2000.com|http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/im...FORUM_LOU.jpg]

[MChapel]

Lou;

I think you're right about the 250,000 lbs (then again, I seem to have 225,000 stuck in my head for some reason), but real-world ATC does refer to 757's as "Heavy" because of the massive wingtip vortices (wake turbulence) they generate. Get too close behind one in a 737 on final (IRW) and you could be in serious trouble.

Just my 2 cents.

Mark

[hlynur]

Hi, according to my company´s FOM,

H-Heavy, to inticate a aeroplane type with a maximum certificate take-off mass 136.000 kg or more

M-MEDIUM, less than 136.000 kg but more than 7000 kg

L-LIGHT, 7000 kg or less

brgds
Hlynur

[EW]

yep 136000kg (300000lbs) is correct....
But that's for any aircraft in the world not only for some carriers.

Erik

[LTEtabs]

That's correct about the 757 being "heavy", due to wake turbulence concerns, just asked my dad... ;)

[w6ffc]

In the USA Lou it is 254,000 lbs (100,000 kgs) to be called "heavy"

Mike B.

[UKJames]

Sounds like I should change my name to James heavy, I think I weigh aver 250,000 lbs now......

James Nicholas
Real World IFR Pilot

[Erick_Cantu]

757's are called heavy. Unexplainable excessive wake turbulence.

-E

[font size=1]"...It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no millionaire's son

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one..."[/font size]

http://flightsimmers.net/airport/nwva0670/SONICFFX.gif

[cactuscap]

Hi,

>>Are 737s qualified to use "heavy" for their call signs?<<

As some others have mentioned, the 737 will not obtain a "heavy" moniker because of max takeoff weight limits.

Some 707 (–300 series) and 757's do meet the criteria. However, most, if not all of the 757-300's and some -200's are certified for takeoff above the magic 300k pound number.

For the 757, the only US carrier I am aware of with the high takeoff weight, is American Trans Air. Boeing is very helpful to its customers: for a few bucks, additional takeoff weight can be purchased and existing airplanes "modified." I would not be surprised to find many foreign operators with the increased gross weight, as this can greatly improve revenue, especially on high density charter flights.

Sean