Airplane landing . what does the term heavy refer too as approching airport runway?

Question

they call in there callnumbers and then say heavy ?if its big or large what is big or large mean ?

Answer 1

This is a reference to aircraft that leave a large wake turbulence behind them. Usually B747. B.777. DC10 and the like.

ATC will leave a greater space behind them for the safety of the following aircraft.

It can occur on a smaller scale.  Try following a B.737 into

a local airfield in a Cessna 182. I found out, the hard way at Tuscon AZ.

I was forced to abort the landing and went round with a very sick passenger

Ian M

Answer 2

'Heavy's' are large aircraft that require longer,

(and sometimes stronger), runways.

Answer 3

By definition it is an aircraft with a take off weight of 255,000lbs or more whether or not it is operating at that weight.  Also the B-757 is usually included as a heavy for aircraft separation.

Answer 4

The term "Heavy" refers to a wide bodied aircraft such as a 747, 757, 767 and eventually the 777.  Also the Airbus A320 and A340 and their newest aircraft.

Answer 5

The word heavy refers to the gross weight of the aircraft. Aircraft such as the 767, 747, 777, DC10 and MD11 are all referred to as heavies.

Answer 6

Heavies are larger aircraft

Keep the thumbs downs coming. I'm from Queensland, so that's a thumbs up in the southern hemisphere. Way to GO!!!!!

Answer 7

You are required to identify as "heavy" if your kite has a service takeoff weight of 255,000 pounds or heavier.

This call is required because "heavies" create substantially more wake turbulence than large or small airplanes, and other pilots need to be advised to keep well separated.

The Boeing 757 also calls "heavy," because there is a rumor that they produce bad wake turbulence as if they were heavier.