737-800 Heavy in Barcelona
 

Why is B737-800 considered as a Heavy type Aircraft in Barcelona?
Any ideas?

is it anywhere eles in the world? I only realized it in BCN.

thanks

Not sure why. I think they also put the B752 in th Heavy cat aswell.

C

The 757 is considered HEAVY in Germany as well.

In Denmark the 757 is considered Heavy as far as the aircraft behind it is concerned. But considered Medium with regards to the aircraft in front of the 757.
Complicated? Oh yes :ugh:

The 757 is according to the MTOM in the medium category. However due to the strong wake it produces it is considered heavy for the following aircraft.

The 737-800 as heavy? That's just a mistake of Spanish ATC.
If I'm correct, a 738 is indicated as 73H on the radar screen. The 'H' stands for '8', but some Spanish controllers mix it up with the heavy suffix.
I once heard the same mistake being made in Lanzarote.

It´s not a mistake of ATC, in Spain the authorities have stated the 737-800 as Heavy. It has always been like that.

Another thing: we don´t see that type of aircraft as 73H, but as 738, so that could not possibly mistaken us.

I think it´s the only country where the 737-800 is considered Heavy, don´t ask me why.

Best regards.

My mistake on the 73H then, but I remember reading something about it.

Then it must be a mistake from the authorities.
According ICAO it should be medium category.

Doc8643 - ICAO Aircraft Type Designators

It is not a "mistake" it is a difference filed by the Spanish Authorities.

But the question remains why?
What about the 737-900?

Why not look it up?

Apparently not.

Country Rules and Regulations according LIDO:
WAKE TURBULENCE SEPARATION
B757 and B737-800 when leading ACFT are considered as H.



Ok, I was wrong about it being a mistake by ATC or the authorities, but it doesn't make sense that a 738 is considered H, while the 739 isn't.
It doens't make much sense to me that a 738 is considered H in the first place.


However, doing some PPRune research, I was able to find this:
http://www.pprune.org/atc-issues/202...-category.html
But, it only applies to ATR, Dash-8 and similar aircraft.

738 in Spain will NOT be considered Heavy anymore since next month, we just got the info. Was considered heavy when leading for wake turbulence separation.

757 is still considered heavy when leading.

Correct. I saw it today at the control room: since july 31st the 737-800 will ne considered M also when leading.

So a B738 departs at 2359 on Jul 31. What time can you launch the next departure? :)

Well, it would be fun if the next departure is exactly a 737 800. Medium behind heavy, that's what would be applied. But it's between the same type!! (Actually it's the same when we have a 757 behind a 757 in some countries)

Going back to the 737 800 sequance a smart controller would delay the first one just enough to make it become medium and expedite air traffic flow with the next departure :D

I think if you go into the JEP SUP and look at category of aircraft, because at max weight the B737-800 approaches at 142kts, it makes it a CAT D aircraft.
In europe however i think everyone operates it as a CAT C as it is on the actual change over limit of speeds for CAT C/D, but in the US I think it can still be categorised as CAT D.
Could that have something to do with it?

Zulu or local time?

@jayc004, one is an approach speed category and the other a wake turbulence category. Two different things that do not have all that much in common.

Hey, if this was 2009, for a salary of 300,000 Euros (and more) , i'd put wake turbulence spacing behind a 738 as well ;)

Thenoflyzone