JFK Chearleader_Kilo Entrance

[Cap747]

I found this in the KJFK recording, first a male cheerleader, that's fun, right thereafter a pilot saying:

"We are anticipating a Kilo entrance"  I really have no Idea what this means...

I am aware they use weather related words, but in the rest of this stream no one uses that... What is different here saying e.g. "jetblue ### with you with kilo" and the phrase above?

[KLEB_Tower]

I found this in the KJFK recording, first a male cheerleader, that's fun, right thereafter a pilot saying:

"We are anticipating a Kilo entrance"  I really have no Idea what this means...

I am aware they use weather related words, but in the rest of this stream no one uses that... What is different here saying e.g. "jetblue ### with you with kilo" and the phrase above?

The pilot is telling the controller that he will be using taixway Kilo to enter his ramp.  The statement "....have Kilo" means that he has the weather information being brodcast

[Cap747]

Thanks for clearing out, but the pilot telling what taxiway he's going to use???

[onesierrawhiskey]

Thanks for clearing out, but the pilot telling what taxiway he's going to use???

From my limited understanding, at JFK, because ground controllers do not control non-movement areas, they have no input regarding gate assignments, due to gates existing at non-movement areas. This is why, with some notable exceptions, aircraft do not require a clearance to "push," because the aircraft can be moved to a non-movement area outside ATC jurisdiction. Gate assignments themselves are usually left up to the airlines themselves to sort out. Due to traffic volume, the ramps require planning to make sure aircraft can get in and out safely. You'll hear exchanges on the JFK ground feed similar to this, where aircraft have to "check with their company" to find out where they're going:

JFK_GND: That JetBlue that I put on 13L, when you come back around, can you get into Whiskey?
JBU144: JBU144, I'm gonna contact company right now and make sure of that.
JFK_GND: Okay, sir! I thought you would have known by now?!
JBU144: You know what, they told us it was already empty, and then we went, and almost turned, and we almost went nose to nose.
GND: The United jet that's approaching Whiskey, can you get in?
UAL008: Yes sir, after the, uh, guy ahead of me moves on.
GND: Okay, you taxi into the ramp. The second JetBlue behind that United, who is that?
JBU606: That's, uh, 606, we're cleared in Whiskey-Alpha.
GND: You're cleared in, good, you taxi into the ramp. JBU144, you're probably gonna be cleared in. So, when you come around on the runway, let a United go in first, you'll see him, and then you follow him in. If that doesn't work let me know, I'll put you somewhere else, short of Alpha somewhere.

[atcman23]

From my limited understanding, at JFK, because ground controllers do not control non-movement areas, they have no input regarding gate assignments, due to gates existing at non-movement areas. This is why, with some notable exceptions, aircraft do not require a clearance to "push," because the aircraft can be moved to a non-movement area outside ATC jurisdiction.

It just depends on the airport as they are all different.  In Cleveland, the ground controller is responsible for push backs off of one concourse (A Concourse) and one side of another concourse (B Concourse; all even number gates and all gates used by Southwest).  As for gate assignments, those are up to the airline.

[cptbrw]

If you listen to JFK Tower for any length of time you will almost come to expect this.  Often the pilot will report what taxiway he needs to get to his gate or the controller will ask which taxiway he needs.  This seems especially common with JetBlue because of the variety of gates they use.

[Cap747]

Ok, I understand it so far, but if this quote happens to many times or the risk for it, that would make it time consuming I guess?

JBU144: You know what, they told us it was already empty, and then we went, and almost turned, and we almost went nose to nose.

I can imagine that it's no fun standing nose to nose....

[joebone1]

this was an inbound flight receiving landing clearance and telling the tower which ramp entrance he needed in advance of landing so he could plan taxi and runway crossing to get him to kilo ramp entrance.  jetblue does it all the time as they have many flights at jfk.

[Cap747]

Yeah I got all of that...

So the company assigns the gate number, the pilot gives the tower controller the preferred taxi route and the tower controller has to pass this on to the ground controller as they have ground controllers at JFK....

IMHO this gives a bit more controller workload but they probably got used to it..

[joebone1]

Yeah I got all of that...

So the company assigns the gate number, the pilot gives the tower controller the preferred taxi route and the tower controller has to pass this on to the ground controller as they have ground controllers at JFK....

IMHO this gives a bit more controller workload but they probably got used to it..

the pilot gives the gate number or entrance so the tower can give them the best taxiway to the gate - if they are landing 22's or 4's usually they can go straight in without contacting ground.  Like I said JBU is familiar with the airport, so they understand that giving this info in advance will give them the best route to the ramp and also let the tower put them in the best spot to enter the gate.