ctd4x4

This has probably been asked a million times, but I am just curious. The inflight bells or notifications you hear (usually 1 or 2 dings) mean something, but I don't always know what. I've got the "above 10,000 ft. and you can turn on approved electronic devices" one figured out, but is there an explanation of these somewhere?

Are they used by the pilot/co-pilot to communicate to the rest of the crew? Or do they just mean, pick up the phone, we need to talk.

Again, just curious.

Thanks.

KNRG

Two dings appears to be "pick up the phone" but if it comes after a bump it seems to generally be a signal that turbulence is going to be severe enough to stop service.

tev9999

There are also a series of lights (red, blue, and ???) that indicate what the ding means. I believe that blue off is "sterile cockpit" or the 10,000 foot ding. Red means the cockpit is on the phone. ??? is a passenger call button. For the life of me I can't remember the colors, but it probably varies by airline/aircraft.

Double ding means short final and last call to get the cabin ready for landing.

ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding..... means 200 passengers are trying to operate the IFE remote and are hitting the call button by mistake.

Mats

They vary by airline. On some it might mean "okay for the crew to stand up," four dings might be "we're cleared to land," etc.

The phone, however, is two tones "ding dong."

The fourth of the color-coded lights indicates that someone in the bathroom has pushed a call button.

Crazyhotelguy

It never fails that the loud ding always comes just as I am about to doze off. Thus, I don't typically sleep on planes.

Flaflyer

One Ding = "FA get in here now--Bring your Captain some coffee, then go serve the DL upgrades in F some free booze so they don't go whine over in the FT Skypiles Forum"

Two Dings = "FA get in here now--Otto the Autopilot needs his manual inflation apparatus operated by a FA"

Three Dings = "FA stay out of the cockpit--the front office crew is having a "don't ask-don't tell" bonding moment.

OK so I made it up. But I do have a selfmade "it cannot exist but a pocket video camera operated and recorded the takeoff out the window and the plane did not crash" video whose sound track has one ding 5 seconds after rotation, the earliest I have ever recalled hearing it. Now I am confused.