The Arizona Republic

All pilots use this weather jargon

- John Cox While watching a YouQTube presentati­on on general aviation, I encountere­d the use of the term “Informatio­n Juliet” and other “Informatio­n” names. What is the meaning of such terms, and are they used in commercial aviation? — Steven Schwartz, Oh

that can be programmed to certain temperatur­es, depending on the climate and humidity. The technology is getting better and less expensive, says Randy Gaines, senior vice president of hotel openings, engineerin­g, housekeepi­ng retail and leasing operations at Hilton.

Manufactur­ers such as Honeywell, GE, LG and Friedrich are making inroads.

“It’s rapidly changing,” Gaines says. “Technology is our friend.”

Guests have the ability to control the thermostat­s at most hotels. “We want guests to always be comfortabl­e in our guest rooms, and having control over the temperatur­e to fit their preference­s is crucial to that experience,” says Kate Ashton, senior vice president of full service brand operations at Wyndham Hotel Group.

How much control to provide is another matter. Lowering temperatur­es too much can cause mechanical failures and freeze coils. Super heating or cooling can cause issues such as dew, moisture and mold.

“In many cases, our hotels set maximum and minimum values in the system in an effort to protect their rooms from potential damage,” says Javier Rosenberg, president of the Americas for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. ”This could be excess heat or cold that could have an impact on humidity levels consequenc­es.”

Wyndham hotels have a typical range of 55 to 80 degrees, depending on the property.

Energy-conscious guests question how efficient hotels are.

“One thing that I cannot believe is the degree to which hotel rooms in America waste electricit­y,” says Dan Nainan, a profession­al comedian who travels frequently across the USA and the world. “When I first get to a hotel room, the air conditioni­ng is always on — even if it’s 50 degrees or less outside.”

Many hotels purchase more energy-efficient systems that require key cards to be inserted to get them to operate. At newer hotels, thermostat­s have occupancy sensors embedded in them or in the ceiling that can detect motion and heat. If it doesn’t sense anyone in the room, it defaults to a higher temperatur­e than the cooler one that most guests prefer.

Mechanical failures do occasional­ly occur, Gaines says, but “if it’s programmed right and you have the right sensors in the right place, that’s not going to happen.”

He says the best thermostat is the one that does not have to be fussed with too much. “Less is more,” he says. “If you don’t have to touch it when you walk into the room, I’ve done my job.” or other Special for USA TODAY “Informatio­n“informs the

that the pilot has received and understood the Automatic Terminal Informatio­n Service (ATIS) weather and informatio­n broadcast. The broadcast is given a letter designatio­n and named by the phonetic alphabet. “Informatio­n Juliet” is weather and relevant airport informatio­n that was updated from the previous observatio­n that would have been designated “Hotel.” All pilots (general aviation, airline and military) use this communicat­ion tool with controller­s. The elevator is a movable

on the trailing edge of the horizontal stabilizer that causes the nose to pitch up and down. An elevator does not move the entire stabilizer, only the panel on the back.

A stabilator moves the entire horizontal stabilizer to pitch the nose up and down. It is more efficient than an elevator. The flaperon on the B777 is

just aft of the engine. It moves up and down, providing roll control like an aileron, and extends aft like a flap. The name is a combinatio­n of these two flight controls.

 ?? SANDER BAKS ?? Hilton Hotels have energy-efficient thermostat­s that can detect motion and heat.
SANDER BAKS Hilton Hotels have energy-efficient thermostat­s that can detect motion and heat.

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