Simviation Forum - Bravo...whiskey

	Search the archive:

Simviation Main Site | Site Search | Upload Images

Simviation Forum › Real World › Real Aviation › Bravo...whiskey

(Moderators: Mitch., Fly2e, ozzy72, beaky, Clipper, JBaymore, Bob70, BigTruck)

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

Pages: 1

Bravo...whiskey (Read 284 times)

Aug 17^th, 2004 at 2:19pm

jrpilot Offline
Colonel

Gender:
Posts: 2255

I was listening to Live atc and was wondering why they were saying words like Barvo..Whiskey and such...is that for landing taxiways or is ther another meaning for them....

IP Logged

Reply #1 - Aug 17^th, 2004 at 2:31pm

Felix/FFDS Offline
Admin
FINALLY an official Granddad!
Orlando, FL

Gender:
Posts: 1000000627

If you just say "B" or "V" or "P", with the radio distorition and people's accents, it could sound the same, just enough for someone who's not familiar with your voice to mistake one for the other.

Therefore, Baker-Victor-Papa are distinct words that identify the letters.

I remember my old ham letters "Kilo-Papa-Four-Echo-Papa-Hotel"

I'm quite sure that Hagar, or someone else, will come up with a couple of the lists.

Felix/FFDS

IP Logged

Reply #2 - Aug 17^th, 2004 at 3:12pm

Hagar Offline
Colonel
My Spitfire Girl
Costa Geriatrica

Posts: 33159

It's called the phonetic alphabet. This has varied over the years & also between different countries. Here's the official NATO version now used internationally. http://www.dynamoo.com/technical/phonetic.htm

Founder & Sole Member - Grumpy's Over the Hill Club for Veteran Virtual Aviators
Member of the Fox Four Group

Need help? Try Grumpy's Lair

My photo gallery

IP Logged

Reply #3 - Aug 17^th, 2004 at 4:45pm

jrpilot Offline
Colonel

Gender:
Posts: 2255

Ok....but what is the point of using it...?

IP Logged

Reply #4 - Aug 17^th, 2004 at 4:56pm

Hagar Offline
Colonel
My Spitfire Girl
Costa Geriatrica

Posts: 33159

To avoid mistakes over the radio. Bravo Whiskey would be the last 2 letters of the aircraft registration or BW. This is how the aircraft is identified. There could easily be another aircraft with the registration PW which sounds the same if you say the letters. Papa Whiskey makes it clear.

The phonetic alphabet is commonly used on the telephone these days for the same reasons. Very useful to learn it.

Founder & Sole Member - Grumpy's Over the Hill Club for Veteran Virtual Aviators
Member of the Fox Four Group

Need help? Try Grumpy's Lair

My photo gallery

IP Logged

Reply #5 - Aug 17^th, 2004 at 4:57pm

Craig. Offline
Colonel
Birmingham

Gender:
Posts: 18590

because various letters sound like each other when the sound quality is poor. You may have seen this trying to spell your address over the phone with the other person not being able to understand it right off. The phonetic alphabet makes sure this doesnt happen.

ooops Doug got in there before me:)

IP Logged

Pages: 1

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

« Home

‹ Board

Top of this page