Aircraft Types

When you are required to issue traffic information, describe aircraft as follows.


Military


Use the type aircraft. For example:

  • F18 - “F eighteen”
  • A10 - “A ten”


Air carrier


Issue the type aircraft, or company name plus aircraft type. For example:

  • B737 - “Boeing seven thirty seven” or “Southwest Boeing seven thirty seven”


General aviation


Issue model or designator. To decode the model or designator see 7110.65 appendix A. For example:

  • BE36 - “Beechcraft Bonanza” or “Bonanza”
  • PA27 - “Aztec” or “Piper Aztec”


Heavy


For heavy aircraft, always precede the type with “heavy.” For example:

  • L1011 - “Heavy L-ten-eleven” or “Heavy Lockheed L-ten-eleven”
  • B1 - “Heavy B one”
  • IL62 - “Heavy I-L sixty-two”