Any of you Experimental types comply with this

I thought that's just what you did in an Ex/Ab. The pilots who've flown me certainly did.
 
"Experimental Nxxxx slow mover" seems to work for me.
If it's something that isn't so rare that no one has ever heard of it something like "Thorp Nxxxx experimental" would be better.
 
Last time I talked to a tower (20 years ago), I used "Fly Baby Experimental 45848". They referred to me as "Experimental 848."

Ron Wanttaja
 
I tell them "are vee one charlie xray" Every time. I'm a scofflaw. You'd think at least one persnickity controller would call me out on it.

As for informing passengers, I've never gotten around to it without them asking why it says EXPERIMENTAL in big block letters across the back of the cabin. Best question ever: "How's the experiment going?" I said "We'll have more data in a couple hours."
 
There's a Boeing 737-800 based at my home field, operating under an experimental certificate. It's registered N737AS; they use the callsign "Experimental seven three seven alpha sierra." Controllers who don't recognize the callsign sometimes assume it's some sort of homebuilt bugsmasher, and hilarity ensues when they try to sequence him in the VFR pattern behind a slow mover (like me, a few days ago, and my registration also starts with 'N737...').

The controller suggested it might help everybody out if they use a callsign like "Experimental BOEING seven three seven alpha sierra." ;)
 
I see a lot of "HXB" in the radar data tag of experimentals which stands for "home built experimental." Don't ask me why the X and the B are in the positions they are because I wasn't invited to the committee that decides such things. Perhaps HBX or HBE was already taken by another aircraft? Good controllers will enter RV8, RV7 etc if it fits to give other controllers something more than just an experimental in order to judge speeds and performance but that isn't always the case.
 
That does cover quite a speed and size spectrum, could be anything from a Pietenpol or FlyBaby to a BD-10, or even the Stratolaunch.
 
I've heard that for tower operations purposes, all Van's RV models are the same. For XC's I'm specific to RV6A /G. But my point of thread is that I don't think controllers need to hear "experimental nature" for most of the popular E-AB models.
 
Ravioli said:
I've heard that for tower operations purposes, all Van's RV models are the same. For XC's I'm specific to RV6A /G. But my point of thread is that I don't think controllers need to hear "experimental nature" for most of the popular E-AB models.
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Why?
 
I think they know RV performance as well as 172s, 310s, and Fokker 100's just fine. any other "considerations" they need beside performance?

It's not like they're going to foam the runway and evacuate the approach course for an inbound Zodiak.
 
Jim Carpenter said:
That does cover quite a speed and size spectrum, could be anything from a Pietenpol or FlyBaby to a BD-10, or even the Stratolaunch.
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In March 1990, Sport Aviation magazine had an article about someone who installed four engines on a Lazair ultralight (it was registered EAB). He'd used "Four Engined Experimental" as his call sign. Until one day....

I called the tower."Tower, this is 4-engine Experimental N562MX, over the VOR at 1500 feet,speed 50 knots, negative transponder, landing with Delta."

Never, in 60 years of flying, have I had a response as fast as this one: "Say again speed." So I said, "Five zero knots." Now his reply was even faster.

"Do you want to declare an emergency?"

Why in the world would I want to declare an emergency; the four engines were running like clocks? I told him, "Negative emergency."

His immediate reply was, "Cleared to land, runway 9. Be advised length of runway is 4,000 feet."

Now why would he tell me the runway is 4,000 feet long? I only need 40 feet and if necessary, I could land on his runway, crosswise. Suddenly it dawned on me. When I told him my speed was 50 knots, he knew there was no 4-engine aircraft in existence that could fly at 50 knots! He must have thought I meant Five Zero Zero knots and a big transport, seven miles out over the VOR at 500 knots was trying to land on his 4,000 foot runway.

In the "call the tower" aftermath, they told him never to use "four engined experimental" again....

Ron Wanttaja
 
Ravioli said:
I think they know RV performance as well as 172s, 310s, and Fokker 100's just fine. any other "considerations" they need beside performance?

It's not like they're going to foam the runway and evacuate the approach course for an inbound Zodiak.
Click to expand...

Looks like you are the lone ranger on this topic.
 
Ravioli said:
I've heard that for tower operations purposes, all Van's RV models are the same. For XC's I'm specific to RV6A /G. But my point of thread is that I don't think controllers need to hear "experimental nature" for most of the popular E-AB models.
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Well for an initial call to the “Tower” not ATC, as you already posted, it’s a regulatory requirement so I don’t understand your position— there’s no out. However, there’s also no need to use the “experimental” prefix with any other ATC facility and I never do— and I fly IFR a lot of the time.
 
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AIM 4-2-4(a)(3) suggests putting the "Experimental" notation at the end of the callsign, not as a prefix substitute for type:

Civil aircraft pilots should state the aircraft type, model or manufacturer's name, followed by the digits/letters of the registration number. When the aircraft manufacturer's name or model is stated, the prefix “N” is dropped; e.g., Aztec Two Four Six Four Alpha.

EXAMPLE-
  1. Bonanza Six Five Five Golf.
  2. Breezy Six One Three Romeo Experimental (omit “Experimental” after initial contact).
 
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Pilawt said:
AIM 4-2-4(a)(3) suggests putting the "Experimental" notation at the end of the callsign, not as a prefix substitute for type:

Civil aircraft pilots should state the aircraft type, model or manufacturer's name, followed by the digits/letters of the registration number. When the aircraft manufacturer's name or model is stated, the prefix “N” is dropped; e.g., Aztec Two Four Six Four Alpha.

EXAMPLE-
  1. Bonanza Six Five Five Golf.
  2. Breezy Six One Three Romeo Experimental (omit “Experimental” after initial contact).
Click to expand...

personally I would find using that as a suffix awkward. I much prefer using it as a prefix. Thankfully the option is left to the pilot.
 
EdFred said:
Nah, I hear plenty of RV guys on the radio not say "experimental."
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giphy.gif


Nice try. My comment was to the replies to this thread.
 
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Timbeck2 said:
I see a lot of "HXB" in the radar data tag of experimentals which stands for "home built experimental." Don't ask me why the X and the B are in the positions they are because I wasn't invited to the committee that decides such things. Perhaps HBX or HBE was already taken by another aircraft? Good controllers will enter RV8, RV7 etc if it fits to give other controllers something more than just an experimental in order to judge speeds and performance but that isn't always the case.
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“B” is a performance designation for a generic EAB. Like you, I used to enter the actual type in the computer if a well known EAB.
A7C62078-228A-43C5-8874-B668F264BC3F.jpeg
 
Pilawt said:
AIM 4-2-4(a)(3) suggests putting the "Experimental" notation at the end of the callsign, not as a prefix substitute for type:

Civil aircraft pilots should state the aircraft type, model or manufacturer's name, followed by the digits/letters of the registration number. When the aircraft manufacturer's name or model is stated, the prefix “N” is dropped; e.g., Aztec Two Four Six Four Alpha.

EXAMPLE-
  1. Bonanza Six Five Five Golf.
  2. Breezy Six One Three Romeo Experimental (omit “Experimental” after initial contact).
Click to expand...
Yes, that's the recommendation. But, I omit "type" (Merlin GT) because no one on the planet has heard of it, but some have heard of the Merlin turboprop or Merlin powered warbirds and, well, yea, not me. But I have been charged the $100 "Turbine Aircraft" surcharge for my rag and tube LSA after buying something like 10 gallons of 100LL.
 
Ravioli said:
You'd think at least one persnickity controller would call me out on it.
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I'd hazard a guess that most controllers are far less anal about phraseology than anyone in the average POA comms thread. It wasn't a controller that brought it up here.

Nauga,
click click
 
Pilawt said:
There's a Boeing 737-800 based at my home field, operating under an experimental certificate. It's registered N737AS; they use the callsign "Experimental seven three seven alpha sierra." Controllers who don't recognize the callsign sometimes assume it's some sort of homebuilt bugsmasher, and hilarity ensues when they try to sequence him in the VFR pattern behind a slow mover (like me, a few days ago, and my registration also starts with 'N737...').

The controller suggested it might help everybody out if they use a callsign like "Experimental BOEING seven three seven alpha sierra." ;)
Click to expand...

A few years a company in Madras, OR was turning MD80’s into Borate Bombers. They used ‘experimental.’ Caused some grief flying one into Hillsboro KHIO one day, using that, experimental, nothing else. Called up, said we’re here. Tower said do this and report there. It turned into a little bit of an air show when an MD80 came screamin into the pattern and reported ‘there.’
 
I started off using “experimental” but felt that left too broad a spectrum so started using “Questair”. That works well at my usual haunts since most people know me and the aircraft. On one trip to Myrtle Beach the controller corrected me to use “experimental” so that’s what I use now.
 
To answer the original question, yes, I've found it is most advisable to comply with the FAA regulations applicable to my aircraft. I'm a plus one for the my initial callup: "Tower, experimental RV 62MG...", then drop the experimental for all subsequent calls to that tower. Same for my initial call up to approach/departure when departing from a non-towered field if I want flight following or some other request, but in my request I'll specify type as Vans RV-6A.
 
Doc Holliday said:
Nice try. My comment was to the replies to this thread.
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Nothing you posted indicated you were talking solely about respondents in this thread. Try using a qualifier next time.
 
On the rare occasion I go into a class D, I make the call as "experimental Hatz 205GM", and they always come back to me as "experimental 205GM." Once they realize how slow I'm going, I usually get "experimental 5GM, say again type aircraft?"
 
Doc Holliday said:
(d) Each person operating an aircraft that has an experimental certificate shall -


(3) Notify the control tower of the experimental nature of the aircraft when operating the aircraft into or out of airports with operating control towers.

Initial call up? "Blarney Tower, Experimental 1234AB"
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Maybe not trying to work it into the Call Sign would be the better way to go. Like [RV, Flybaby, Douglas, etc etc] 12345, I’m an experimental. Tower now has been notified of the experimental nature of the aircraft per 91.319 (d) 3.

EDIT: There’s an AIM thang like this. See post #23
 
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Adding experimental to your call sign with towers isn’t important for normal ops. If the controller knows their types, then they’ll know your performance based on that knowledge. If they don’t know their types, then making them aware of your experimental nature means nothing. They don’t have different runway separation or procedures for EABs. That’s based on specific type.

Now, making tower aware of your EAB because you require special handling is a different story. That’s a service that should really only be used in the test flight phase and not on a day to day basis. Even then, it’s really not much in the way of special handling.

Having said that, by all means adhere to the FAR / AIM and continue to use “experimental.”
 
Velocity173 said:
Having said that, by all means adhere to the FAR / AIM and continue to use “experimental.”
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Or in my case, not.

I'm sure some youtuber will report me some day, but until then it is just extra static on the freq.

"ClassD Tower, experimental are vee six six six, inbound to land, any traffic in the area? How's your coffee, call me back okay? Love ya. Over"
 
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