Aircraft Categories

JO 7110.65 Ch. 3 

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Restrictions & Limitations 

Factors Affecting Aircraft Performance

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- Weather conditions

- Load

- Engine performance

- Aircraft configuration

- Pilot’s ability

- Speed

- Altitude

- Climb rate

- Weight class

Aircraft Category I

JO 7110.65, Ch. 3

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CAT I Operating Characteristics

Speed: 100-160 knots

Altitude: 10,000 feet and below

Climb Rate: 1,000 fpm or less

Weight Class: Small (S)

(Aircraft of 41,000 pounds or less maximum certified takeoff weight)

Aircraft Category II 

^{In this category aircraft are usually larger than most CAT I aircraft.} 

JO 7110.65, Ch. 3 

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CAT II Operating Characteristics 

Speed: 160-250 knots

Altitude: FL240 and below

Climb Rate: 1,000-2,000 fpm

Weight Class: Small (S)

Aircraft Category III

A large multi-engine turbojet aircraft

Aircraft in CAT III represent a variety of uses for commercial, business, and military aviation.

Aircraft have a wider operating range because some are powered by reciprocating, turboprop, or turbojet engines.

JO 7110.65, Ch. 3 

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     CAT III Operating Characteristics

Speed: 300 - 550 knots

Altitude: FL450 and below

Climb Rate: 2,000 - 4,000 fpm

Weight Class: Aircraft not described in CAT I or II may be classified as small, large or heavy weight class.

Helicopters Category I 

ATG-2, Tri-Option Controller Reference Manual

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Helicopter CAT I Operating Characteristics 

Speed: 90 - 60 knots

Altitude: FL200 and below

Climb Rate: 500 - 2,150 fpm

Identifying an Aircraft

A. Categories

B. Weight classes

C. Designators

D. Performance characteristics

E. Identification features

Weight Class Definitions

Categories of aircraft are used for same runway separation.

Aircraft weight classes are primarily used for wake turbulence separation.

Generally, the greater the aircraft weight, the greater the effect of its wake turbulence.

Order JO 7110.65, Appendix A

Small: Aircraft of 41,000 pounds or less maximum certified takeoff weight. 

Large: Aircraft weighing more than 41,000 lbs. maximum certified takeoff weight up to but not including 300,000 lbs.

Heavy: Aircraft capable of takeoff weights of 300,000 or more pounds whether or not they are operating at this weight during a particular phase of flight.

Note: Many small weight class aircraft are listed as “S+” (spoken “small plus”). This denotes aircraft weighing between 12,500 and 41,000 lbs.  For Class B Airspace rules, these aircraft are “large, turbine-engine powered aircraft. 

Note: Order JO 7110.65, Appendix A, contains weight class information pertaining to most fixed-wing aircraft currently in use, as well as type designators, engine number and type, and average climb and descent rates. 

Note: Order 7340.1, Contractions Manual, contains Appendix B (helicopter/rotorcraft data) and Appendix C (homebuilt/experimental aircraft data) 

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Aircraft Designators

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JO 7110.65, App. A 

- Aircraft designators are approved, shortened versions of the aircraft manufacturer’s designation.

- Used on flight progress strips and for ATC communications.

- May contain as many as four characters, but no less than two characters.

- May be all letters or a combination of letters and numbers.

- First character must be a letter (the aircraft manufacturer’s designation).

- Designators for civil aircraft is controlled by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for standardization.

- Military designators begin with a letter that identifies the aircraft's mission or tactical status.

Aircraft Identification

9 Features

- To be aware of its performance capabilities 

- To apply separation 

- For visual separation

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1. Size

2. Engine location and number

3. Engine type

4. Wing placement

5. Wing configuration

6. Tail configuration

7. Windows

8. Fuselage shape

9. Landing gear

Size

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Size may distinguish the difference between two aircraft that appear similar.

Engine Location & Number

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Engine locations can be found:

- On, under, or through the wings.

- On or through the vertical stabilizer.

- On the fuselage.

Engine Types

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[image]Reciprocating: (piston-engine) found mostly on single-engine or light twin-engine aircraft and operates a propeller.

[image]Turboprop: essentially a small turbojet engine which operates a propeller.

[image]Turbojet: Referred to as a “Jet” engine and has no propeller (the highest performance aviation engine in use). Found on many Category II aircraft.

Wing Placement

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 High-wing: On top of fuselage.

 Mid-wing: In the center or middle of fuselage.

 Low-wing: On the underside or beneath the fuselage.

Wing Configurations

Each aircraft has a particular wing configuration (design) that is specifically created for its operational needs. 

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       Straight-wing                                                

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          Swept-Wing

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Tail Configurations

Tail configuration is also known as the “empennage”, which is made up of two main components:

Vertical stabilizer and Horizontal stabilizer. 

     There are six basic tail configurations: 

    1. Conventional tail 

    2. Forward slant vertical stabilizer 

    3. Horizontal stabilizer above fuselage 

    4. “T” tail - swept or straight 

    5. “V” tail

    6. “Twin Boom” tail.

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Windows

Windows come in different shapes and sizes

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Fuselage

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There are three factors that contribute to the shape of fuselages.

1. Aircraft’s Design Function

The function for transporting passengers or cargo require a larger fuselage than that of, say, a fighter aircraft.

2. Type of Power Plant or Engine Used

Turboprop and jet engines can achieve altitudes requiring pressurization, influencing the fuselage shape.

3. Materials Used

The characteristics of materials such as wood/fiber, aluminum, or composites will affect the fuselage shape.

Landing Gear

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Landing Gear Configuration 

Landing gear configuration may be either:

- Fixed 

        - Retractable

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Fixed Gears: The landing gears that hang permanently below the aircraft and are not moveable.

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Retractable Gear: The landing gears that retract into the fuselage for storage during flight. 

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