What A/C weight is "Heavy"?

[snoopy_1]

What is the weight that determines if the aircraft is a Heavy, at least I think it's the weight that determines this.

Snoopy One Heavy

 

[gnx99]

MGTOW >=255,000 lbs

Edit:

Actually a plane capable of that weight, not necessarily loaded to that much.

 

[snoopy_1]

I guess that means Snoopy One is not a heavy, wait how big of engine can we get on it, and some more helium maybe.

 

[jspilot]

Just learned that in my ATC class at college. Greater than 255,000 lbs

 

[THE Flying Ace]

If you are talking strictly about aircraft, it is heavier than 12,500 lbs.

The 255,000 lbs figure must be the classification for ATC seperation standards.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

255,000 and larger is a "Heavy".

12,500 and larger is a "large aircraft"

12,500 lb "Large aircraft" is for Type rating requirments.

255,000 is for in trail spacing.

The 757 is not a "Heavy" for call sign purposes but is given Heavy spacing by ATC due to its strong wake turbulance.

 

[THE Flying Ace]

Thanks for the clarification for myself.

 

[rudderdog]

255,000 and larger is a "Heavy".

12,500 and larger is a "large aircraft"

12,500 lb "Large aircraft" is for Type rating requirments.

255,000 is for in trail spacing.

The 757 is not a "Heavy" for call sign purposes but is given Heavy spacing by ATC due to its strong wake turbulance.

Not exactly true. ATA has 757-200's with a MTOW of 255,500 and 757-300's with a MTOW of 270,000 ..... they are all "heavy" aircraft for call sign and atc purposes.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Well you got me there, I did not think about the newer 75's with the higher gross weight. I was speaking from an FAA definition point of view.

 

[EagleRJ]

The FAA boundary between large and heavy used to be 300,000 MGTOW, but they changed it to include the 757 (ALL 757s, as far as I know) due to the 757 wake turbulance issues.

 

[JJJ]

The 757-200 is not a heavy, but you still get more than the standard spacing when you arefollowing one.

 

[rudderdog]

The 757-200 is not a heavy, but you still get more than the standard spacing when you arefollowing one.

The 757-200 with a MTOW of 255,500 lbs is a "heavy". Not sure why they added the extra 500 lbs though in the certification. Seem's like it would just add to the landing fees.

 

[jspilot]

Isn't anything over 500,000 lbs labled Jumbo. Is that true??

 

[SkyWestCRJPilot]

Posted by gnx99

Actually a plane capable of that weight, not necessarily loaded to that much.

If that's the case then why do you hear ATC ask sometimes, "Are you heavy today?"

 

[rudderdog]

Posted by gnx99



If that's the case then why do you hear ATC ask sometimes, "Are you heavy today?"

They're really asking, "are you light enough to give me a good climb?". Hope you were asking a serious question. If not, that was funny.

 

[gnx99]

Posted by gnx99



If that's the case then why do you hear ATC ask sometimes, "Are you heavy today?"

I've never heard that before, so you may be right.

Also, Northwest 757-200's are not called heavy by ATC, but I've heard ATC call Northwest's 757-300's "Heavy".

 

[GogglesPisano]

Isn't anything over 500,000 lbs labled Jumbo. Is that true??

No, it's called Roseanne.

Badumcha!

 

[bigsky]

prior to the arrival of 757-300, I believe that ATA was the only operator with 757s with a max weight greater than 255k.

The 757 (unless it has changed ) is given a greater spacing-normally 2 min or 4 miles in front of large aircraft, where a heavey is given 2 min and 5 miles.

 

[rudderdog]

I've never heard that before, so you may be right.

Also, Northwest 757-200's are not called heavy by ATC, but I've heard ATC call Northwest's 757-300's "Heavy".

Just remember, not all aircraft of the same type and model are certified with the same max gross weight. Sometimes it's the company (NWA, UAL etc) that limits the weight for their aircraft. Example.....Northwest 757-200's are not "Heavy" because their MTOW is less than 255,000 lbs. ATA 757-200's are "Heavy" because they are certified at 255,500 lbs. The 757-200 is the only aircraft I know of that can vary over and under the 255,000 weight depending on the order. I hope this clears things up.

 

[Mu2Driver]

I have heard ATC ask "are you heavy today" down in Miami a couple of times...I don't know why they were asking

 

[rudderdog]

I have heard ATC ask "are you heavy today" down in Miami a couple of times...I don't know why they were asking

Like I said earlier, they do ask that occasionally just to get an idea of what kind of climb they'll get out of you. A light 757 can possibly do 2000+ fpm all the way up while a heavy one can't come close, especially the last few thou.

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

According to my 711065 (ATC Guidelines)

<12500 is a small
>12500<55000 is a small plus
>55000<255000 is a large
>255000 is a heavy.


The reason 757's have there own wake turbulance separtion then most large aircraft is because its basically the same design as the 767. The FAA wanted to reclassify heavy's after the design of the 757 and the wake turbulance problems associated. Well all the airlines said hell no, your not gonna do that because then we have to pay greater landing fees at our destinations because they are considered heavys. So the FAA said fine, we will make a separate category of aircraft...
small
small plus
large
757
heavy.
Although, I have heard some 757's on freq opearate with the Heave suffix.

 

[surplus1]

I have heard ATC ask "are you heavy today" down in Miami a couple of times...I don't know why they were asking

I don't dispute the idea that this question may be rerlated to climb performance.

Another reason is this. Controllers know (generally) which flight numbers use what type of aircraft. They also know when an airline has the habit of switching equipment on a particular flight number. When this "switch" is common and varies between a "heavy" and a non-heavy, controllers ask the question. A good example would be an airline that operates both "heavy" and "light" 757's on the same flight number.

 

[rudderdog]

I don't dispute the idea that this question may be rerlated to climb performance.

Another reason is this. Controllers know (generally) which flight numbers use what type of aircraft. They also know when an airline has the habit of switching equipment on a particular flight number. When this "switch" is common and varies between a "heavy" and a non-heavy, controllers ask the question. A good example would be an airline that operates both "heavy" and "light" 757's on the same flight number.

Good point. You're probably more correct than I, especially if asked on the ground.

 

[Spooky 1]

Just remember, not all aircraft of the same type and model are certified with the same max gross weight. Sometimes it's the company (NWA, UAL etc) that limits the weight for their aircraft. Example.....Northwest 757-200's are not "Heavy" because their MTOW is less than 255,000 lbs. ATA 757-200's are "Heavy" because they are certified at 255,500 lbs. The 757-200 is the only aircraft I know of that can vary over and under the 255,000 weight depending on the order. I hope this clears things up.

This is really picking the Fly S*#t out of the pepper but we operate two B757's. One of them is certified at 255.0 MTOGW and the other is 255.5 MTOGW. Add 500 pounds to each for their MGTW. To keep in simple we use the term Heavy for both. Interestingly, Boeing says that there are fewer than 5 B757-200's built with the 255.5 weight.

 

[PropsForward]

No, it's called Roseanne.

Badumcha!

Rimshot.