March 11, 2010 - Those of you who have experience filling out a flight plan know that you’re required to enter an aircraft type designator in block 3. For many years experimental aircraft owners were required to enter one of the standard experimental type designators in that block: HXA (airspeed less than 100 kts); HXB (airspeed between 100 and 200 kts); or HXC (airspeed greater than 200 kts). Now, thanks to an EAA member’s urging, several experimental and light-sport aircraft have received type designators to identify their specific make and model to air traffic controllers, with the goal of having designators for all aircraft types.
Another project component is a study to determine if the use of standard experimental aircraft type designators, HXA, HXB, and HXC, can be discontinued in favor of using a standard designator of “ZZZZ” for all experimental aircraft that do not yet have a FAA assigned type designator.
How is this improving things? A 65 kt converted lawnmower and a turbine powered Lancair would now be ambiguous to the controller.
I guess they just use ZZZZ and maybe inform the controller what it is and its top speed until said aircraft gets a type identifier. How long could it take? I do believe C162 among others are already on the list. I’m just curious what they might do about amateur-designed and built aircraft, like Melmoth 2, designed and built by Flying’s Peter Garrison…
Maybe in such cases they might just keep the HX* codes.
