# What supplies are in passenger aircraft liferafts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2016, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supplies-are-in-passenger-aircraft-liferafts/761727 "2016-08-04T10:42:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supplies-are-in-passenger-aircraft-liferafts/761727/41 "2016-08-06T13:25:46Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Sydney Airport, about 11.30amish on (I think) a Thursday. What date? 11:30, is too late for us though. Edit: Too late for me, I haven’t done any Sydney departures that late recently. > [@](#): > > I thought I saw a Hawker Siddeley 748 that day as well, which surprised the heck out of me because I didn’t think anyone was still operating them commercially in Australia anymore, but a bit of googling tells me it was probably a Saab 340 instead. 🙂 Could it have been a [Convair 580](https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Convair+580&rlz=1C5CHFA_enAU503AU503&espv=2&biw=1314&bih=1288&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwikr-Hq8azOAhUFW5QKHatSApYQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=Pionair+Convair+580&imgrc=edJ8yuh9p2lLDM%3A)? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supplies-are-in-passenger-aircraft-liferafts/761727/42 "2016-08-06T20:59:09Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > … > Incidentally, I saw a BAe 146 taxiing on the runway during that same business trip which inspired the OP and waved at it from my seat on the offchance **Richard Pearse** was at the controls. 🙂 … I understand this was on the ground, but say your paths cross while airborne. Query 0.5; backup to main query) there must be some airline pilot/controller word for “damn, you must be way too close because I can physically see you with my naked eyes.” Is there? Query 1.0) A) What is the international military vocabulary using wing position/waving only for **Richard Pearse** to wave back at him? B) What other vocabulary exists with plane orientation or non-radio comms are there? C) If [A) + B)] exist, which I believe it does among the military forces worldwide as a lingua franca, is it also mandatory vocabulary for all airline pilots? _All_ civilian pilots? ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supplies-are-in-passenger-aircraft-liferafts/761727/43 "2016-08-07T03:15:42Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Could it have been a [Convair 580](https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Convair+580&rlz=1C5CHFA_enAU503AU503&espv=2&biw=1314&bih=1288&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwikr-Hq8azOAhUFW5QKHatSApYQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=Pionair+Convair+580&imgrc=edJ8yuh9p2lLDM%3A)? Indeed it was! The unusual tail and engine mounting were what made me think it was a Hawker-Siddeley. > [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > B) What other vocabulary exists with plane orientation or non-radio comms are there? Not modern, but during WWI the Royal Flying Corps command to “Attack” was chopping one’s arm down like swinging a cavalry sabre. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2016, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supplies-are-in-passenger-aircraft-liferafts/761727/44 "2016-08-14T12:21:17Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > I understand this was on the ground, but say your paths cross while airborne. > > Query 0.5; backup to main query) there must be some airline pilot/controller word for “damn, you must be way too close because I can physically see you with my naked eyes.” Is there?[ Ignoring VFR aircraft for the moment, the minimum vertical distance between aircraft is 1000’ or about .2 of a mile, that looks pretty close, so generally nobody would say anything because we assume it’s all under control. If it appeared to be closer than that the pilots might look at each other and say “fuck, that’s close”, normally by this time the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) in the planes will be giving evasive action commands and what we would say to ATC is “TCAS RA” which means we’ve received a TCAS resolution advisory and are now flying in response to the TCAS commands and won’t be paying attention to you, Mr/Miss/Ms/Mrs. Controller, until we sort things out. > [@](#): > > Query 1.0) > A) What is the international military vocabulary using wing position/waving only for **Richard Pearse** to wave back at him? There is a protocol to follow if you get intercepted by a military aircraft. This would happen if you lost radio comms and people got worried that you may have gone rogue. Initial contact is by wing rocking and cycling of navigation lights (green, red, and white wing tip and tail lights), further details in [this PDF](https://db.tt/Lq4oHgNE), they’re a bit detailed to summarize here. > [@](#): > > B) What other vocabulary exists with plane orientation or non-radio comms are there? See the link above. There are also some standard signals from tower to an aircraft that has had a radio failure. They’re pretty simple involving green and red lights depending on whether you’re cleared to land, taxi etc. > [@](#): > > C) If [A) + B)] exist, which I believe it does among the military forces worldwide as a lingua franca, is it also mandatory vocabulary for all airline pilots? _All_ civilian pilots? Not expected to know it for both A and B. If the situation came about I’d be opening the emergency section of my manual and doing some quick reading. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supplies-are-in-passenger-aircraft-liferafts/761727/45 "2016-08-15T03:52:05Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > That is a tasteless comment. > > forgive me. Then remember to grab some condiments =) ---
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supplies-are-in-passenger-aircraft-liferafts/761727/46 "2016-08-15T09:17:32Z")
What! No hyena and tiger on the manifest (watching movies too much, going to duck somewhere). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-supplies-are-in-passenger-aircraft-liferafts/761727.md?page=2)