KDEN Question

[N9JIG]

As I was driving past Denver International Airport in Colorado I was listening to a couple of the Tower channels and heard something I never have before. After each landing or takeoff clearance the Tower gave a series of numbers. At first I thought they were hand-off freqs but later figured maybe they weren't.

The numbers were like 128040 and 127040 and varied a bit here and there. They were only given upon receipt of a takeoff or landing clearance.

Any ideas?

[ianduke]

Not sure if you've been listening to aviation for a long time or not... they weren't winds?

[N9JIG]

Didn't sound like it but it could have been.

I have never heard any other tower do this and I have listened to many, usually ORD, MKE, MDW and PWK.

[abqscan]

Once the land the wind isn't too important, and they usually tell the them what taxi way to get off @ and to contact ground. On takeoff clearance when wind is present, the winds are normally read. Do you remember what exactly was being said?

[N9JIG]

IIRC it was something like "Frontier 1234, Clear to Land, Runway 16R 128040" or "United 329 Clear for takeoff Runway 26, 127060".

I was thinking that it might be a tower controller number for the tape recorder, so that they know which controller provided the clearance. This was reinforced since these numbers were not broadcast for other instructions, just the actual clearances, and it seemed that there were only a couple different numbers used.

[trainman111]

Are you sure they weren't saying "Winds 28 at 040" or "Winds 27 at 060". Say that fast like an air traffic controller does and it sounds like 128040 and 127060. That's also where they would tell the pilot the airspeed, at the end of the landing clearance or takeoff clearance

[N9JIG]

Trainman111; Yes, it is quite possible that was it, This is only the second or third time I have listened to KDEN, and I was only in range for an hour or so. If we go home the same way next weekend I will try and stop for a while and listen more.

[Bill_White]

Originally Posted by N9JIG

IIRC it was something like "Frontier 1234, Clear to Land, Runway 16R 128040" or "United 329 Clear for takeoff Runway 26, 127060".

Your first guess is your best guess…
I’m thinking you heard the tower handing off frequencies.
You said the numbers “were like” 128040 and 127040 where,
128.450 = Class B departure frequency and
127.050 = Denver departure
AirNav: KDEN - Denver International Airport
Same thing here at KROC…
Frontier 1234, Clear to Land, Runway 28, contact tower 11955 or United 329 Clear for takeoff Runway 22, contact tower 1237

[ianduke]

Yeah, they were either frequencies or winds. Only the most important information is passed to an aircraft that is arriving or departing, as it is a critical phase of flight and the pilots must concentrate fully.

[trainman111]

I don't think they were frequencies, because if they are frequencies (in this case ground frequencies), they wouldn't be give when an aircraft is cleared to land, only after it has landed and they are preparing to taxi.

[captaincraig44]

The standard takeoff clearance at Denver goes something like this: (from my repositioning flight this morning)
"Skywest 1110, turn right heading 020, runway 34R cleared for takeoff, winds 340@05"
You're probably hearing "winds" as "1-2 . . "
Similar for a landing clearance: "Skywest 5665, Runway 35L cleared to land, winds 330@10"

I've never heard any numbers like you describe and if you're not expecting it, you could misunderstand what is being said. Winds are typically the last part of the info tower gives an aircraft for a landing or takeoff clearance.