Houston ATC Communication "WAFFLE"

[drewman76]

So I sorta understand most of the ATC lingo and such... but just wondering if any controllers could explain this... I was listening to Houston KIAH approach and multiple times they asked aircraft to "fly the waffle".  I am guessing that is a specific pattern of approach in Houston, but could anyone explain what it actually means?

[wiedehopf]

next time you hear note the date&time in UTC i'd like to hear it too

[tyketto]

Another thing to do is also mention which airport the aircraft is arriving at. There are at least 5 different airports I can think of off the top of my head in the Houston area, and while most have the same SIDs/STARs that service all of the airports, knowing which airport was the destination helps to track it down.

EDIT: Found it for you. It is the WAPPO4 arrival, into KHOU.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KHOU
http://155.178.201.160/d-tpp/1709/00198WAPPL.PDF
http://155.178.201.160/d-tpp/1709/00198WAPPL_C.PDF
http://155.178.201.160/d-tpp/1709/00198WAPPL_C2.PDF

BL.

[meternx01]

There are also some interesting ARNAV points they call out frequently

Departures from 15R/L at IAH:
JAYLO - Yea sounds like Jennifer Lopez...

CRTMN - Sounds like Cartman from South Park..

[tyketto]

There are also some interesting ARNAV points they call out frequently

Departures from 15R/L at IAH:
JAYLO - Yea sounds like Jennifer Lopez...

CRTMN - Sounds like Cartman from South Park..

There are plenty of those going around.. Case in point:

The IAP (I can't remember if it's an ILS, LOC, VOR, or RNAV/GPS approach) that has the fixes on final as ITAWT ITAWA PUTTY TTATT, or similar.

The entire ANJLL1 arrival into LAX. Fixes have CGNEY, HAKMN, DNERO, SLLRS, SHTNR, GLESN, OTOOL, BCALL, LEMMN, and CAANN. That would be James CAGNEY, Gene HACKMAN, Robert DENIRO, Peter SELLERS, William SHATNER, Jackie GLEASON, Peter O'TOOL, Lauren BECALL, Jack LEMMON, and James CAAN.

BL.

[swawkbox]

There are two Waffle House restaurants just off of one of the runways (and three more on the other side).   Coincidence? 

Also, Houston's freeway loops look like a big waffle.  Could "Fly the Waffle" be code for "go around"?

[tyketto]

There are two Waffle House restaurants just off of one of the runways (and three more on the other side).   Coincidence? 

Also, Houston's freeway loops look like a big waffle.  Could "Fly the Waffle" be code for "go around"?

Definitely not. The issue here being that ATC has to use standard phraseology whenever possible substituting something like that for a go-around would definitely get some controllers into some hurt.

BL.

[martyj19]

There are also some interesting ARNAV points they call out frequently

Departures from 15R/L at IAH:
JAYLO - Yea sounds like Jennifer Lopez...

CRTMN - Sounds like Cartman from South Park..

There are plenty of those going around.. Case in point:

The IAP (I can't remember if it's an ILS, LOC, VOR, or RNAV/GPS approach) that has the fixes on final as ITAWT ITAWA PUTTY TTATT, or similar.

The entire ANJLL1 arrival into LAX. Fixes have CGNEY, HAKMN, DNERO, SLLRS, SHTNR, GLESN, OTOOL, BCALL, LEMMN, and CAANN. That would be James CAGNEY, Gene HACKMAN, Robert DENIRO, Peter SELLERS, William SHATNER, Jackie GLEASON, Peter O'TOOL, Lauren BECALL, Jack LEMMON, and James CAAN.

BL.

ITAWT ITAWA PUDYE TTATT are on the RNAV 16 at KPSM Portsmouth in NH.  Some of them are used on the ILS 16 also.