Civilian Aircraft Codes

[Jeff Hacker]

Hi, guys, I am flying DFW-JFK-MAD-VIE later this month on Iberia.
FlightAware shows the equipment as 346/Q. I know that the 346 is an Airbus
340-600, but what does the "Q" indicate. I also notice that Lufthansa and
Virgin show this code, but I also note that it is not the only 346 that
Iberia flies - they also show a "346" without the "Q". Can anybody
enlighten e?

thanks,

Jeff
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[Roland Perry]

Post by Jeff Hacker
Hi, guys, I am flying DFW-JFK-MAD-VIE later this month on Iberia.
FlightAware shows the equipment as 346/Q. I know that the 346 is an
Airbus 340-600, but what does the "Q" indicate. I also notice that
Lufthansa and Virgin show this code, but I also note that it is not the
only 346 that Iberia flies - they also show a "346" without the "Q".
Can anybody enlighten e?

The Q seems to stand for Quad-jet. Just to rub it in, perhaps?

[JF Mezei]

Post by Jeff Hacker
Hi, guys, I am flying DFW-JFK-MAD-VIE later this month on Iberia.
FlightAware shows the equipment as 346/Q.

Perhaps this is a designator for interior config ?

Looking at a random Air Canada flight, it printed te equipment as:

Boeing 767-300 (twin-jet) (H/B763/Q -

So the Q can't be for quad jet :-)

Consider Air France in the early 1990s that had a gazillion different
configs for its 747s. The reservation systems woud have had to know
about what config was being used on a flight for seat assignment
purposes. So there would have to be some additional iformation on top of
the 3 character standard equipment code.
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[JF Mezei]

Post by JF Mezei
Boeing 767-300 (twin-jet) (H/B763/Q -

Forget my last message. It doesn't have anything to do with seat
configs. It is about navigation equipment.

http://flightaware.com/about/faq_aircraft_flight_plan_suffix.rvt

/X No Transponder
/T Transponder (No Mode C)
/U Transponder (Mode C)

DME
/D No Transponder
/B Transponder (No Mode C)
/A Transponder (Mode C)

TACAN Only
/M Transponder
/N Transponder (No Mode C)
/P Transponder (Mode C)

RNAV
/Y LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS with no transponder
/C LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS with transponder (No Mode C)
/I LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS with transponder (Mode C)

Advanced RNAV (With Transponder)
/E Flight Management System (FMS) with DME/DME and IRU position updating
/F Flight Management System (FMS) with DME/DME position updating
/G Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), including GPS or WAAS,
with enroute and terminal capability.
/R Required Navigational Performance. The aircraft meets the RNP type
prescribed for the route segment(s), route(s) and/or area concerned.

Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM)
/J /E with RVSM
/K /F with RVSM
/L /G with RVSM
/Q /R with RVSM
/W RVSM
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[Roland Perry]

Post by JF Mezei
It is about navigation equipment.
http://flightaware.com/about/faq_aircraft_flight_plan_suffix.rvt

Ironically that's the same site from which I saw:

Airbus A340-600 (quad-jet) (H/A346/Q)

Although on further examination it also has:

Airbus A320 (twin-jet) (A320/Q) so obviously I was clutching at straws.

[Jeff Hacker]

Wow! very interesting. Thanks!

Jeff

Post by JF Mezei

Post by JF Mezei
Boeing 767-300 (twin-jet) (H/B763/Q -

Forget my last message. It doesn't have anything to do with seat
configs. It is about navigation equipment.
http://flightaware.com/about/faq_aircraft_flight_plan_suffix.rvt
/X No Transponder
/T Transponder (No Mode C)
/U Transponder (Mode C)
DME
/D No Transponder
/B Transponder (No Mode C)
/A Transponder (Mode C)
TACAN Only
/M Transponder
/N Transponder (No Mode C)
/P Transponder (Mode C)
RNAV
/Y LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS with no transponder
/C LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS with transponder (No Mode C)
/I LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS with transponder (Mode C)
Advanced RNAV (With Transponder)
/E Flight Management System (FMS) with DME/DME and IRU position updating
/F Flight Management System (FMS) with DME/DME position updating
/G Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), including GPS or WAAS,
with enroute and terminal capability.
/R Required Navigational Performance. The aircraft meets the RNP type
prescribed for the route segment(s), route(s) and/or area concerned.
Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM)
/J /E with RVSM
/K /F with RVSM
/L /G with RVSM
/Q /R with RVSM
/W RVSM
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[Jeff Hacker]

Post by JF Mezei

Post by Jeff Hacker
Hi, guys, I am flying DFW-JFK-MAD-VIE later this month on Iberia.
FlightAware shows the equipment as 346/Q.

Perhaps this is a designator for interior config ?
Boeing 767-300 (twin-jet) (H/B763/Q -
So the Q can't be for quad jet :-)
Consider Air France in the early 1990s that had a gazillion different
configs for its 747s. The reservation systems woud have had to know
about what config was being used on a flight for seat assignment
purposes. So there would have to be some additional iformation on top of
the 3 character standard equipment code.
--

I agree with you on this one, Jean Francois. I've also seen the "Q"
designation shown on 767's (AC and several others)

Post by JF Mezei
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[A Guy Called Tyketto]

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Post by Jeff Hacker
Hi, guys, I am flying DFW-JFK-MAD-VIE later this month on Iberia.
FlightAware shows the equipment as 346/Q.

You should see this quite often now in the US, especially since
we implemented dRVSM over 3 years ago. It used to be that /W was only
RVSM capable, and that we followed NEODD/SWEVEN rules up to and
including FL290. After FL290, requirements were 2000ft vertical
separation between aircraft. FL290 would be eastbound, FL310 would be
westbound, FL330 would be east, FL350 west, up to FL600 (the top of
Class A airspace).

With RVSM, that vertical separation requirement drops to
1000ft, making every flight westbound an even flight level, while
eastbound flights were at an odd flight level, up to and including
FL410. After FL410, they go back to 2000ft vertical separation up
to/including FL600.

With that said, that didn't take care of those aircraft that
were RNAV capable. So 5 new equipment suffixes were created (/J, /K,
/L, and /Q), to indicate those that are RVSM and RNAV capable. Most
commercial aircraft are /R equipped and RVSM capable. So, /Q.

BL.
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Unix Systems Administrator, | ***@ozemail.com.au
Web + NewsMaster, BOFH.. Smeghead! :) | http://www.wizard.com/~tyketto
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