Just a quick question: When the Pilot/1st Officer contacts the tower and gives their call sign and make of aircraft they add "with information Golf" etc. What does that refer to?
parabellum
29th Aug 2008, 00:31
It refers to the latest Airport Terminal Information Service (ATIS) that is broadcast on a frequency and gives runway in use, current weather and any SIGMET, any special information about taxi ways, work in progress that may affect an aircraft, any inoperative nav aids, sometimes which SIDs are in use etc. etc. At most large airports the arrivals information is given on one frequency and departure information on another. This information is updated regularly and given a letter ID, for example, if "Golf" is current the the next update will be "Hotel" and so on. It tells the controller that you have the latest available information, (or not, as sometimes happens).
G SXTY
29th Aug 2008, 08:07
So in layman's terms it tells the controller that you're already briefed on the weather, runway in use and current pressure setting, which saves him having to repeat it to everyone and cuts down on RT chatter.
Thank you parabellum and G SXTY for the prompt replies!