US Airways - December 2013 - (Page 11)

Did You Know? embark PLANE FACTS One out of every five planes in US Airways' fleet is an Airbus A320. Here are some stats for this workhorse jet. 97,000 pounds weight of an empty A320 72,000 pounds weight an A320 can carry 520-550 miles per hour average cruising speed of an A320 18,000 man-hours to complete a heavy maintenance inspection on an A320 The ★ ABC s of Communication ILLUSTRATIONS BY NIGEL HOLMES You've probably heard pilots in movies using unusual words such as alfa, bravo, and echo. That peculiar language is part of what's officially known as the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, which assigns a specific word to represent each letter of the alphabet. Each word has a pronunciation that is distinct from the other words to avoid confusion. The system was developed in the 1950s by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) ? News, Notes, and Inflight Insights What's an Express flight? During your flight, you may hear an announcement along the lines of "Thank you for flying on this US Airways Express flight operated by. . . ." What exactly does this mean? Each US Airways flight is either a mainline or an Express flight. Mainline flights are operated directly by US Airways. Express flights are operated by regional airlines, which International include Air Wisconsin, Mesa, Radiotelephony Spelling Piedmont, PSA, Republic, Alphabet and SkyWest. US Airways Alfa has an agreement with each Bravo of these carriers, which lets Charlie US Airways sell seats on Delta their flights. On an Express Echo flight, the regional carrier Foxtrot operates the plane, and Golf US Airways sells the boardHotel ing passes. India These agreements benJuliett efit customers by providing more options for flight times Kilo Lima and destinations. so that letters and numbers can be clearly understood when they're transmitted via radio or telephone, no matter the native language. For instance, the pronunciation of the letter E may sound a lot like G, especially over a staticky radio connection. But echo sounds nothing like golf, so the spelling alphabet provides instant clarification. For numbers, the ICAO and the FAA use standard pronunciations, with a few exceptions: three, four, five, and nine are pronounced tree, flower, fife, and niner to avoid any miscommunication. ➺ Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey Xray Yankee Zulu usairwaysmag.com DECEMBER 2013 11 http://www.usairwaysmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of US Airways - December 2013

Table of Contents
CEO Letter
From the Editor
Did You Know?
Making It Happen
Hot Spots: Vacation Memories
Hub Crawl: Miami International Airport
Wine & Dine: Holiday Fizz
Diversions: Going Whole Hog
Diversions: Time Travel
Style Spotlight: Holiday Bling
Adventure: North Carolina's High Country
Adventure: Arizona Story
Adventure: Sled Dog Racing
Gear Up: Stocking Stuffers
Great Escapes: Charleston Place Hotel
Great Escapes: Hotel Palomar in Washington, DC
Travel Feature: Costa Rica
US Airways: Tower Talk
Celebrate Tucson, AZ
Health Matters: Miami Foot and Ankle Surgery
Charlotte, USA
Must Read: I Got Schooled
Puzzles
Readers Resource Index
Your US Airways Guide
Video Entertainment
Audio Entertainment
U.S. and Caribbean Service Map
International Service Map
Airport Terminal Maps
US Airways Fleet/Customs & Immigration
Passenger Info/Contact US Airways
US Airways MarketPlace®
Window or Aisle?

US Airways - December 2013