Landing Procedures

[z740]

http://airnav.com/airport/KDCA

but do i really need all those? i want to know what's going on and who's coming in for a landing and who's taking off. that's just about it.

-Chris

[Star Alliance]

Thanks guys! So which frequencies should I put on my scanner?

Well, I don't know where you're goin, but check Airnav.com.
It'll have all the frequencies you need.

[z740]

Thanks guys! So which frequencies should I put on my scanner? On a different note the pilots don't always use the right frequencies for the different things. For example i have heard a United pilot give his entire "welcome aboard" speech to the tower. It took them a few minutes to stop laughing so that they could tell him he picked up the wrong one. It went something like this:
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen and welcome aboard United Airlines flight xxxx with nonstop service from Richmond International to Chicago O'Hare. Our flight today will last about two hours and our scheduled arrival time is 12:05pm. When we reach our cruising altitude of about 30,000 feet i will turn off the fasten seatbelt sign and you will be free to move about the cabin. Thank you for your attention and welcome aboard!"
I can only imagine what the copilot was thinking when he did this!

-Chris

[Star Alliance]

DL 178: DCA tower, DL 178 with (ATIS update) is at 2500, inbound ILS runway 19.
Tower: DL 178, DCA Tower, cleared ILS runway 19 approach.
DL 178: Cleared ILS runway 19 approach, DL 178.

Actually, Bok, Approach/Departure control only can clear for instrument approaches. Because TWR is a non-radar position, they can't vector, nor give approach clearances, nor other things of that sort.
So it might go something like:
APP: DL178, descend and maintain 3000, turn left heading 210, report when established on the localizer.
DL178: D/M 3000, turn left 210, report when established.
(a moment passes...)
DL178: Reagan APP, DL178 is established.
APP: DL178, Reagan app., roger. Contact Reagan tower on 120.75, good day.
DL178: Reagan tower on 120.75, see ya!
(switches frequencies)
DL178: Good afternoon, Reagan tower. DL178 is at 3000, inbound ILS rwy 19.
TWR: DL178, Reagan tower. Wind is 170 at 5, altimeter 29.95, cleared to land, rwy 19.
DL178: Cleared to land, rwy 19, DL178.

Somethin like that.
And somebody who flies the heavy stuff, correct me if I'm wrong.

[z740]

Thank you Bok! My grandfather is coming in a few weeks and he was a pilot for Eastern Airlines and made his last flight into DCA the night before the strike, so he should be able to give me a good explanation of what exactly the pilots have to say, etc.

-Chris

[Bok269]

This will be a very crude explanation so anyone feel free to correct me.

All commercial flights file an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flight plan. The plan shows the route the flight will take in relation to airspace fixes and navaids. At the end of the plan is an approach procedure. An approach procedure can be a visual approach (such as the famous visual into DCA):

http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/0709/00443RIVER_VIS19.PDF

Or an instrument:

http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/0709/00443VDG19.PDF

As the aircraft descends (or it may already have descended), it follows the procedures outlined in the IAP (instrument approach procedure) chart. Once they reach the minimum decision height (as outlined on the chart) they must make visual contact with the runway. If they can see the runway, they land. If not, they execute a go around.

As far as ATC goes, en route flights are handled by centers (New York, Cleveland, etc). As they approach the airport, They are handed over to Approach and then to the tower. The tower gives them the final clearance, which goes something like this:
(Switch to tower frequency)
DL 178: DCA tower, DL 178 with (ATIS update) is at 2500, inbound ILS runway 19.
Tower: DL 178, DCA Tower, cleared ILS runway 19 approach.
DL 178: Cleared ILS runway 19 approach, DL 178.

[z740]

OK first of all my appologies if this is in the wrong forum and if so please move it. All right now for the main question. Would someone mind explaining to me the process pilots have to go through to land. Not how they put down the landing gear, etc., but how they contact ATC. I was wondering because i am going to DCA this fall and it would save me alot of time if i knew what the pilots were talking about on the scanner. For example if DL 178 was coming in for a landing on runway 19 what would they have to say to ATC to get landing permission. If you could give me an example that would be great.

Like this:
DL 178:
ATC:
DL 178:
ATC:
or whatever. Thanks in advance!

-Chris