-1

In Top Gun Maverick (2022), Lt Pete Maverick speaks on comm:

Lt Pete Maverick: Tower, this is Darkstar. We are taxiing with information Alpha.

Traffic Controller: Darkstar, you are clear to taxi.

What does "with information Alpha" mean?

F Ronaldo Nash
  • 389
  • 2
  • 9
  • 3
    Any ATC is going to reprimand Maverick for saying "we are taxiing" rather than "request permission to taxi". Although this is pretty well down the long list of safety violations that Maverick has committed in the space of two movies. – DJClayworth Nov 15 '22 at 19:50

1 Answers1

4

When contacting ATC it's important that they understand that you are aware of current conditions on the field. This information is provided by the Automatic Terminal Information System (ATIS). Each version of the ATIS information is given a letter code, and that letter increments whenever the weather report has changed, etc.

"with information Alpha" means when he last listened to the ATIS it was giving out Information A. This means ATC knows if his information is current or not, and doesn't have to give him weather information as long as it is.

If B ("Bravo") was current, instead, Ground/Tower might have responded with "DARKSTAR, Bravo now current, wind (magnetic heading) at (knots), altimeter (barometric pressure)..." and then given taxi instructions.

William Walker III
  • 3,448
  • 1
  • 11
  • 37