UAL squawk 7500

[Squad10]

Why the inadvertent unlawful interference 7500 code?

The report on Transport Canada's website said the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration reported that United's corporate office had indicated that the pilot "had inadvertently squawked a 7500 code after spilling coffee on the aircraft's radio equipment, which interfered with the communications equipment."

Coffee spill causes diversion for US flight - FoxNews.com

 

[nodak1crdet3]

Thanks for posting that. I heard that flight Monday night passing thru the Detroit area. There was a few times the radio would work, but then it would get the stuck mike again. I could hear everything the Pilot was saying & even the Co-Pilot in the background. It was pretty cool. You could tell the pilot was getting frustrated. They even tried a third radio behind them. That wasn't working either.

UNITED 940 777-200
133.525 Cleve.C. stuck mike, 08:29pm. Problem with both transmitters.
120.075 Cleve.C. stuck mike, 08:30pm. Pilot kept saying, we’re done.
121.500 Emergency freq, 08:32pm. Working now, 08:35pm.
135.825 Tor.C. stuck mike, 08:41pm. Not working.
Diverted to Toronto Pearson, & is now heading back to ORD.
FlightAware > United Air Lines #940 > 03-Jan-2011 > CYYZ-KORD Flight Tracker

The article says they flew the passengers back to Chicago in a different plane. I was up & listening to ATC at that time, & never heard the UNITED flight on the scanner. United has repair shops at ORD, why would you leave the plane at Toronto. They could use ACARS to keep in touch, or just squawk 1200 & fly VFR. LOL

United is going to have to hand out sippy cups to pilots now. ;~)

 

[WA1ATA]

United is going to have to hand out sippy cups to pilots now. ;~)

I stole your line and used it in an e-mail to my niece, who is a flight attendant for United.

 

[SCPD]

...or just squawk 1200 & fly VFR.

Since I'm not a pilot, can you tell me what 1200 designates?

Dave
KA6TJF

 

[majoco]

Squawk 1200 is usually used for VFR flight. The SSR is programmed to ignore replies that squawk 1200 and so don't paint on the upper airspace controllers screen and clutter it up. A 777 flying at VFR altitudes would not be safe due to the speed involved - with trying to navigate with what may be unreliable equipment and also looking outside for conflicting traffic flying at 120kts while you're going at 440 or so. The aircraft was grounded in Toronto until all the central pedestal controllers had been changed or checked. With coffee and probably sugar and milk down into a selection of controllers that damn near do everything including fly the aircraft, you don't want uncommanded anything going on, especially iof you can't cancel it. They couldn't select any transponder code reliably or any comm channel or PTT so we must assume that the coffee went everywhere, including the Nav receivers, Audio Selector Panels and maybe the GNS, so I wouldn't be game enough to sign that aircraft out as fit for flight, never mind actually fly in the damn thing!

You'd be surprised at what you may think would be an insignificant thing could ground an aircraft. Would you believe the Cabin Crew intercom handset down the back has to work. If not, it's no-go!

 

[greedo23]

A 777 flying at VFR altitudes would not be safe due to the speed involved - with trying to navigate with what may be unreliable equipment and also looking outside for conflicting traffic flying at 120kts while you're going at 440 or so. QUOTE]

Here in the U.S. all civilian aircraft flying under 14 CFR Part 91 are restricted to 250kias below 10,000' indicated altitude. I'm not sure whether that changes under part 121. The pilot may have been trying to squawk 7600 which would have been appropriate for that situation. Under that condition (again, in part 91 terms) a pilot is meant to fly to the last known fix he was cleared to and hold until contact is made. Just some extra pilot info for you. ;-)

 

[rmiller818]

A 777 flying at VFR altitudes would not be safe due to the speed involved - with trying to navigate with what may be unreliable equipment and also looking outside for conflicting traffic flying at 120kts while you're going at 440 or so. QUOTE]

Here in the U.S. all civilian aircraft flying under 14 CFR Part 91 are restricted to 250kias below 10,000' indicated altitude. I'm not sure whether that changes under part 121. The pilot may have been trying to squawk 7600 which would have been appropriate for that situation. Under that condition (again, in part 91 terms) a pilot is meant to fly to the last known fix he was cleared to and hold until contact is made. Just some extra pilot info for you. ;-)

250kias below 10,000 applies to 121 and 135 ops as well (though the controller could issue a faster speed if needed). Could be VFR at say 17,500' though and not have to worry about 250, just stay below the barber pole.

 

[b7spectra]

I recall back in the 80's while a paramedic on LifeFlight, when we had to transverse ATL airspace, our pilot would squawk a code that was in the 7### to indicate we were an emergency medical mission and to have immediate clearance.