Mar 13, 2013, 9:31 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Wiki note about the forum’s several, active “Channel 9” threads.
Offering live ATC communications on UA flights on Chanel 9 of the audio entertainment system (“Channel 9”) is exclusive to United and offered at the Captain’s discretion. This forum has four prime, active threads about Channel 9. This note will guide you to the right thread for your post, or to where you would look for those channel 9 posts you’re interested in.
1) This thread, to discuss interesting things heard on Channel 9, such as interesting exchanges between pilots and controllers or asking about pilot-controller phraseology.
2) A thread – intended as a basic status thread only to list the specific channel 9-equipped flights offering or not offering Channel 9. The thumbs-up/down codes used in the thread are:
^ Channel 9 offered on this flight but no announcement made about it.
^^ Channel 9 offered and crew announced or promoted its availability.
: td : Channel 9 not offered on this flight.
Please postings to status reports of availability -- and use the thread below to discuss the general topic.
Channel 9 availability reports (no discussion)[Consoldidated]
3) A discussion thread to pursue issues about Channel 9 availability. (See the previous paragraph. if you merely wish to list the flights offering or not offering channel 9.)
Consolidated "Channel 9 Availability" Discussion Thread [Merged]
4) A thread to discuss United’s progress in converting legacy Continental aircraft to offer Channel 9.
Anyone get channel 9 on a reconfigured CO or PDE aircraft yet?
The following aircraft types have "From the Flight Deck" installed (commonly known as "Channel 9," as that's the location it is found on audio handset selectors):
sUA 777-200ERs
sCO 777-200ERs
sUA 777-300ERs
sUA 777-200As (high density, first class only)
sUA 767-300ERs
sCO 767-400ERs
sUA 757-200 (28J p.s.)
[sUA A320 and A319 aircraft have had it removed. It is not installed on any 737s, 787s, nor sCO 757-200s (16J p.s.) or sCO 757-300s.]
The Moderators may move misplaced posts to conform to these thread aims.
Archived posts in Consolidated "Channel 9 Availability" Discussion Thread [ARCHIVE]
Offering live ATC communications on UA flights on Chanel 9 of the audio entertainment system (“Channel 9”) is exclusive to United and offered at the Captain’s discretion. This forum has four prime, active threads about Channel 9. This note will guide you to the right thread for your post, or to where you would look for those channel 9 posts you’re interested in.
1) This thread, to discuss interesting things heard on Channel 9, such as interesting exchanges between pilots and controllers or asking about pilot-controller phraseology.
2) A thread – intended as a basic status thread only to list the specific channel 9-equipped flights offering or not offering Channel 9. The thumbs-up/down codes used in the thread are:
^ Channel 9 offered on this flight but no announcement made about it.
^^ Channel 9 offered and crew announced or promoted its availability.
: td : Channel 9 not offered on this flight.
Please postings to status reports of availability -- and use the thread below to discuss the general topic.
Channel 9 availability reports (no discussion)[Consoldidated]
3) A discussion thread to pursue issues about Channel 9 availability. (See the previous paragraph. if you merely wish to list the flights offering or not offering channel 9.)
Consolidated "Channel 9 Availability" Discussion Thread [Merged]
4) A thread to discuss United’s progress in converting legacy Continental aircraft to offer Channel 9.
Anyone get channel 9 on a reconfigured CO or PDE aircraft yet?
The following aircraft types have "From the Flight Deck" installed (commonly known as "Channel 9," as that's the location it is found on audio handset selectors):
sUA 777-200ERs
sCO 777-200ERs
sUA 777-300ERs
sUA 777-200As (high density, first class only)
sUA 767-300ERs
sCO 767-400ERs
sUA 757-200 (28J p.s.)
[sUA A320 and A319 aircraft have had it removed. It is not installed on any 737s, 787s, nor sCO 757-200s (16J p.s.) or sCO 757-300s.]
The Moderators may move misplaced posts to conform to these thread aims.
Archived posts in Consolidated "Channel 9 Availability" Discussion Thread [ARCHIVE]
The Consolidated "Interesting Things Heard on Channel 9" Thread [Merged]
Aug 3, 2013, 6:27 pm
#946
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
While coming in for a landing, I heard the flight infront of us report a minor bird strike on the windshield. There was no response so he reported it twice. Then, once they landed, the tower answered saying she didn't want to say anything because she knows they are busy as they land. She asked if they needed assistance, they didn't. Then gave them a phone number to call. The pilot said that he was reporting it for any aircraft behind him (that would be us). I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary from us and we landed without incident.
Oct 4, 2013, 12:25 am
#947
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Singapore
Programs: UA MP Plat MM, *G;Global Entry; Hertz, Budget; Accor Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 208
[a search for 'static noise' did not show this having been talked about before]
A number of years, back on an UA 747 back to Asia (HKG or NRT,cannot remember which). Ch9 worked, and suddenlly, while still sitting at the gate, the PA system developed a very loud static noise.
On Ch9 I could follow the attempts by the crew up front to try and resolve this (reset several breakers, one turned off the whole PA, but when it was pushed back in the noise was again there). Even some discussion with maintenance etc could be overheard.
Interestingly, while the noise had not gone away, we pulled out ouf the gate and made our way to takeoff. A girl seated next to me was near hysterics because it was so loud and the thought of many hours of that was too much.
Ultimately we did nt take off but went back to the gate, where more troubleshooting was done, and maintenance brought some replacement parts, one of which finally (after >1.5 hrs) fixed the issue.
Then we left with rather nice silence in the cabin,
I cannot to this day believe that they were seriously contemplating taking off with that issue unsolved, but it sure looked like it for quite a while.
A number of years, back on an UA 747 back to Asia (HKG or NRT,cannot remember which). Ch9 worked, and suddenlly, while still sitting at the gate, the PA system developed a very loud static noise.
On Ch9 I could follow the attempts by the crew up front to try and resolve this (reset several breakers, one turned off the whole PA, but when it was pushed back in the noise was again there). Even some discussion with maintenance etc could be overheard.
Interestingly, while the noise had not gone away, we pulled out ouf the gate and made our way to takeoff. A girl seated next to me was near hysterics because it was so loud and the thought of many hours of that was too much.
Ultimately we did nt take off but went back to the gate, where more troubleshooting was done, and maintenance brought some replacement parts, one of which finally (after >1.5 hrs) fixed the issue.
Then we left with rather nice silence in the cabin,
I cannot to this day believe that they were seriously contemplating taking off with that issue unsolved, but it sure looked like it for quite a while.
Apr 12, 2014, 11:39 pm
#948
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Singapore
Programs: UA MP Plat MM, *G;Global Entry; Hertz, Budget; Accor Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 208
Heard today 4/13 after on UA804 after takeoff from SIN. $AL is not UA bit some other US airline... I'll refer to it as XXnnn here to protect the (innocent|guilty). No XX is not the airline code either :-)
The whole exchange is paraphrased (I had no paper/pen to write it down there and then)
Singapore Control: XXNnn, Singapore Control.. do you have ADS-B?
XXXnnn: Singapore Control, say again?
Singapore Control: XXNnn, ADS-B (repeats a few times, changing pronounciation apparently for clarity). [ does not explain what it is though ]
XXNnn: XXnnn What is that? I don't know what that is
Singapore Control: XXnnn: in that case I have to ask you to descend from FL310 to FL270
XXXnnn: Singapore Control, We're looking, we're checking
[few minutes wait]
XXXNnn: Singapore Control, XXXnnn: We could not find it. What was that level you wanted us to descend to? 270 right?
Singapore Control: XXXnnn descend to FL270
...
a bit later Singapore Control queries XXXnnn again, asking for their level, no answer, so query is relayed through a different plane. XXXnnn answers they are still in the descend.
What reason could there be for Singapore Control to only allow XXXnnn FL310 if they have ADS-B and require them to FL270 otherwise?
Besides that, after all the explanations about airline systems in the wake of MH370, how can the pilots of an americal airline flying internationally not know what ADS-B is (and not find it in their documentation either)? Is it that rare?
On the same flight, Singapore Control had a few problens raising UA896 a few times and asked our flight UA804 to try and reach them. UA804 replied they think they switched frequency already. Some minutes (10-15?) later contact was apparently restored..
The whole exchange is paraphrased (I had no paper/pen to write it down there and then)
Singapore Control: XXNnn, Singapore Control.. do you have ADS-B?
XXXnnn: Singapore Control, say again?
Singapore Control: XXNnn, ADS-B (repeats a few times, changing pronounciation apparently for clarity). [ does not explain what it is though ]
XXNnn: XXnnn What is that? I don't know what that is
Singapore Control: XXnnn: in that case I have to ask you to descend from FL310 to FL270
XXXnnn: Singapore Control, We're looking, we're checking
[few minutes wait]
XXXNnn: Singapore Control, XXXnnn: We could not find it. What was that level you wanted us to descend to? 270 right?
Singapore Control: XXXnnn descend to FL270
...
a bit later Singapore Control queries XXXnnn again, asking for their level, no answer, so query is relayed through a different plane. XXXnnn answers they are still in the descend.
What reason could there be for Singapore Control to only allow XXXnnn FL310 if they have ADS-B and require them to FL270 otherwise?
Besides that, after all the explanations about airline systems in the wake of MH370, how can the pilots of an americal airline flying internationally not know what ADS-B is (and not find it in their documentation either)? Is it that rare?
On the same flight, Singapore Control had a few problens raising UA896 a few times and asked our flight UA804 to try and reach them. UA804 replied they think they switched frequency already. Some minutes (10-15?) later contact was apparently restored..
Apr 14, 2014, 9:40 am
#949
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: COS
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 464
Dec 17, 2014, 9:56 am
#950
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Platinum
Posts: 152
Channel 9 "Talk Show"
Yesterday (12/16/14) in UA358 after the customary greeting from the captain after reaching cruising altitude, he invited the passengers to join him in Channel 9 to hear commentary about "aviation, the plane, and the places we were flying over." He called it his "talk show."
It was great, the topics ranged from current stats (speed, temperature, etc.) to why planes are pressurized to 8000ft. He also talked about how much does a 757 cost, and what it takes to be a pilot in United. This was the best entertainment that I had in United in a long time. Also, this was a great use of Channel 9 as people could choose to listen to him or not so those that were not interested on these topics were not annoyed by too many announcements.
It was great, the topics ranged from current stats (speed, temperature, etc.) to why planes are pressurized to 8000ft. He also talked about how much does a 757 cost, and what it takes to be a pilot in United. This was the best entertainment that I had in United in a long time. Also, this was a great use of Channel 9 as people could choose to listen to him or not so those that were not interested on these topics were not annoyed by too many announcements.
Dec 17, 2014, 10:02 am
#951
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
Yesterday (12/16/14) in UA358 after the customary greeting from the captain after reaching cruising altitude, he invited the passengers to join him in Channel 9 to hear commentary about "aviation, the plane, and the places we were flying over." He called it his "talk show."
It was great, the topics ranged from current stats (speed, temperature, etc.) to why planes are pressurized to 8000ft. He also talked about how much does a 757 cost, and what it takes to be a pilot in United. This was the best entertainment that I had in United in a long time. Also, this was a great use of Channel 9 as people could choose to listen to him or not so those that were not interested on these topics were not annoyed by too many announcements.
It was great, the topics ranged from current stats (speed, temperature, etc.) to why planes are pressurized to 8000ft. He also talked about how much does a 757 cost, and what it takes to be a pilot in United. This was the best entertainment that I had in United in a long time. Also, this was a great use of Channel 9 as people could choose to listen to him or not so those that were not interested on these topics were not annoyed by too many announcements.
Dec 17, 2014, 10:14 am
#952
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: UA 1K, 2.3 MM
Posts: 439
Great! I routinely key in Ch9 when I can and am routinely disappointed to hear music... Glad you had a good trip. I would love to hear that kind of banter.
Dec 17, 2014, 10:23 am
#953
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
Yesterday (12/16/14) in UA358 after the customary greeting from the captain after reaching cruising altitude, he invited the passengers to join him in Channel 9 to hear commentary about "aviation, the plane, and the places we were flying over." He called it his "talk show."
It was great, the topics ranged from current stats (speed, temperature, etc.) to why planes are pressurized to 8000ft. He also talked about how much does a 757 cost, and what it takes to be a pilot in United. This was the best entertainment that I had in United in a long time. Also, this was a great use of Channel 9 as people could choose to listen to him or not so those that were not interested on these topics were not annoyed by too many announcements.
It was great, the topics ranged from current stats (speed, temperature, etc.) to why planes are pressurized to 8000ft. He also talked about how much does a 757 cost, and what it takes to be a pilot in United. This was the best entertainment that I had in United in a long time. Also, this was a great use of Channel 9 as people could choose to listen to him or not so those that were not interested on these topics were not annoyed by too many announcements.
Dec 17, 2014, 10:37 am
#954
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat
Posts: 11,500
Back in May flying LGA-IAH there were some severe storms just over Houston and stretching to the Louisiana border. This is the normal arrival pattern into IAH from the east and this day was no different.
The flights ahead of us were reporting medium to heavy turbulence during the descent and asking to be moved around the turbulence. As the aircraft in front of us started their descent we were given clearance into the arrivals. Our pilot asked "Can we hold the descent for a while, it sounds like everyone in front of us is getting beat up?". There was a silence and the controller replied, "you can stay up there as long as you want, but this storm is supposed to sit over us for the next hour, so I can't guarantee you a landing time".
I should add that most of the conversations with ATC up to this point had been about how bad the ride was and asking for any kind of way around it.
Again the controller asked us to descend and the pilot replied, "look, we're staring at bright red here on our weather radar, can you put us out over the Gulf for a little while until it lightens up?"... You could tell the controller was irritated when she replied, "What, so you can declare an emergency later? Descend to 10,000 and we can file our respective reports after you land"
It was just a weird experience. The pilot did as he was told but the ride was one of the worst I've ever encountered.
The flights ahead of us were reporting medium to heavy turbulence during the descent and asking to be moved around the turbulence. As the aircraft in front of us started their descent we were given clearance into the arrivals. Our pilot asked "Can we hold the descent for a while, it sounds like everyone in front of us is getting beat up?". There was a silence and the controller replied, "you can stay up there as long as you want, but this storm is supposed to sit over us for the next hour, so I can't guarantee you a landing time".
I should add that most of the conversations with ATC up to this point had been about how bad the ride was and asking for any kind of way around it.
Again the controller asked us to descend and the pilot replied, "look, we're staring at bright red here on our weather radar, can you put us out over the Gulf for a little while until it lightens up?"... You could tell the controller was irritated when she replied, "What, so you can declare an emergency later? Descend to 10,000 and we can file our respective reports after you land"
It was just a weird experience. The pilot did as he was told but the ride was one of the worst I've ever encountered.
Dec 17, 2014, 1:17 pm
#955
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: MSP
Posts: 482
Yesterday (12/16/14) in UA358 after the customary greeting from the captain after reaching cruising altitude, he invited the passengers to join him in Channel 9 to hear commentary about "aviation, the plane, and the places we were flying over." He called it his "talk show."
It was great, the topics ranged from current stats (speed, temperature, etc.) to why planes are pressurized to 8000ft. He also talked about how much does a 757 cost, and what it takes to be a pilot in United. This was the best entertainment that I had in United in a long time. Also, this was a great use of Channel 9 as people could choose to listen to him or not so those that were not interested on these topics were not annoyed by too many announcements.
It was great, the topics ranged from current stats (speed, temperature, etc.) to why planes are pressurized to 8000ft. He also talked about how much does a 757 cost, and what it takes to be a pilot in United. This was the best entertainment that I had in United in a long time. Also, this was a great use of Channel 9 as people could choose to listen to him or not so those that were not interested on these topics were not annoyed by too many announcements.
Dec 17, 2014, 3:39 pm
#956
Join Date: May 2006
Location: MYF/CMA/SAN/YYZ/YKF
Programs: COdbaUA 1K MM, AA EXP, Bonbon Gold, GHA Titanium, Hertz PC, NEXUS and GE
Posts: 5,839
Yesterday (12/16/14) in UA358 after the customary greeting from the captain after reaching cruising altitude, he invited the passengers to join him in Channel 9 to hear commentary about "aviation, the plane, and the places we were flying over." He called it his "talk show."
It was great, the topics ranged from current stats (speed, temperature, etc.) to why planes are pressurized to 8000ft. He also talked about how much does a 757 cost, and what it takes to be a pilot in United. This was the best entertainment that I had in United in a long time. Also, this was a great use of Channel 9 as people could choose to listen to him or not so those that were not interested on these topics were not annoyed by too many announcements.
It was great, the topics ranged from current stats (speed, temperature, etc.) to why planes are pressurized to 8000ft. He also talked about how much does a 757 cost, and what it takes to be a pilot in United. This was the best entertainment that I had in United in a long time. Also, this was a great use of Channel 9 as people could choose to listen to him or not so those that were not interested on these topics were not annoyed by too many announcements.