How do pilots know where to go after landing?
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How do pilots know where to go after landing?
By keeping the little plane’s wings even with the command bars, pilots are instructed where to turn and how fast to descend to follow the Instrument Landing System. Then the plane passes over a middle marker and an inner marker, radio reference points that tell the pilots exactly where they are along the approach path.
How do pilots know their route?
Pilots rely heavily on computerised controls and with the assistance of the autopilot and the flight management computer, steer the plane along their planned route. They are monitored by air traffic control stations they pass along the way. Pilots may request a change in altitude or route if circumstances dictate.
How are airport gates assigned?
Gates are usually assigned by the airline’s dispatch center and not the airport. Airlines have access to only a certain number of gates in a particular airport via leasing agreements (though, in some case they may even “own” those gates).
How do pilots get assigned flights?
Pilots receive their trips for the month through a process called bidding. Bidding is how pilots request a schedule based on their individual needs. This process then awards pilots their schedules based on seniority. Essentially, senior pilots’ preferences are awarded first then so on, down the line.
How do pilots know which gate?
Most major Airlines communicate the gate location via ACARS system, More or less a Text to the cockpit that the pilots can reference. Once off the Runway the Ground (or sometimes Tower) controller(s) will direct the plane what taxiways to use.
What does a pilot check before take off?
Before taking off in any aircraft, pilots have to ensure the aircraft has been released by the maintenance engineers, complete visual inspections of the aircraft, test emergency and safety systems, configure the GPS and instrumentation, check the weather, routing, and weight & balance.
How does the FAA decide which route to choose?
He or she then determines the most economic route using the airway system. For U.S. flights, this requested route is electronically sent to an FAA Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) that analyzes the proposed route and compares it to thousands of other requests as well as traffic currently in the air.
How does an airline dispatcher decide what route to take?
An airline dispatcher uses a computer to help analyze the weather and winds between the origin and destination. He or she then determines the most economic route using the airway system. For U.S. flights, this requested route is electronically sent to an FAA Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC)…
What happens during preflight prep?
During our preflight prep, we type the route of flight into the box. In many cases, routes are preprogrammed (or “canned”) and we can type a short route code to retrieve them; this saves us a bunch of typing on long routes. Enough preflight, it’s time to fly!
Inertial reference system data, radio navigation signals, and on newer boxes, GPS position are all fed into the FMS to increase accuracy. The most important part of the box is it’s large database of the airports, navigation aids, and airways necessary for the route.