what do the bells mean?

[belugs]

Hi guys. i've been reading this forum for about 6 mos, and in that time frame i've flown from san diego-milan, san diego-montreal, and san diego-halifax (via boston). I am 38 years old and have flown hundreds of times. I never had a fear of flying until i was 30 yrs old flying a leg from Amsterdam-Chicago. For the first time i was terrified. I remember sitting on the tarmac and wanting to get off the plane! Since then, i've flown many times, but have been completely terrified! I now have a 3 yr old son and don't want him to have the same fears that i do. 6 mos. ago before the Montreal flight, i found this website. Let me tell you, it has been a God-send! The community that you all have contributed to, has allowed me to ALMOST erase my FoF. By no means have i got to the point where i enjoy flying, but it is VERY manageable. My last trip (last week) had me returning from Halifax-San Diego, via Boston. As we were approaching Boston, i suddenly heard a thrust in the engines and we started ascending again. Thankfully, a flight attendant off-duty was sitting next to me. She told me that maybe it was too foggy. She assured me that the pilots always have a secondary airport that they can land at. Later, the pilot told us that traffic had slowed, and he was instructed to try again after circling. Needless to say, i almost lost it. After this lengthy intro, my question is, i like many get terrified during take-off, what do those bells signify? For some reason, i anxiously await their chimes and then feel much safer. Do they sound when we've reached 10,000 ft.? Cruising altitude? Are we "out of the rough?" Sorry for the lengthy question. I look forward to your answers.

[Kimmar]

Not sure about all of the other bells, but I do know that the first ones you usually hear signify the 10,000 feet altitude and the end of the "sterile" period in the cockpit, when the pilots may not discuss anything but the takeoff and the crew may not disturb them during this time. (Also probably that the crew can unbuckle and get to work.)

We should pop over to Captain Hutches (resident pilot) forum and ask him. He'd know!

[MathFox]

Moderator :magic: and we are on the flightdeck.

BTW, I'ld like to know the meaning of the coloured lamps on the ceiling near the FA seats...

[Kimmar]

BTW, I'ld like to know the meaning of the coloured lamps on the ceiling near the FA seats...

And these questions are exactly why Captain Hutch went to "pilot school"...So one day he could answer these for us! LOL

[Captain Hutch]

Hi All,

Fantastic questions! You're right about the 2 bell signal--ascending, we're out of 10,000 feet and the sterile cockpit time; descending, back into the sterile cockpit altitudes. 4 bells, we're around 10-15 miles out and beginning the actual approach for landing. One bell, we're at the gate and it is safe to stand up.
Occasionally you will hear two bells, and then several moments later you'll hear another two bells. That means that one pilot gave the two bells and the other pilot failed to notice and inadvertently gave two bells also.

You have me stumped about the colored lights--next time I fly I'll check it out and let you know.

Hutch :tiphat:

[MathFox]

You have me stumped about the colored lights--next time I fly I'll check it out and let you know.

I know the passengers can switch on the blue(?) lamp with their flight attendant call button. :) And when there is a chime the FAs look at the bar of lights to see what's going on.

[cindyl]

I noticed on our flight that when a certain bell went off the FA would pick up the phone so I assumed she/he was talking to the Pilot and that was right before the seat belt sign came on and the Pilot announced that there was a storm ahead or something like that.
Cindyl

[Captain Hutch]

There should be 3 different lights that will turn on at the front flight attendant station along with the chime when 1) a passenger hits the call button, 2) a flight attendant in the aft galley hits his/her call button, and 3) when the pilot hits his/her call button.

Hutch