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When cleared to climb/descend to a level, the pilot enters that level in an altitude preset window, allowing the autopilot to climb/descend and level off at that level. Is this level, preset by the pilot, visible on an ATC radar screen?

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4 Answers 4

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Yes, our radar is indeed capable to display data of the Mode S Enhanced Surveillance Transponder like Selected altitude, IAS, Mach Number, Heading and more. After issuing a climb/descend clearance and entering it into the sytem it would also warn us if the selected altitude is different from the cleared level.

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice. Info from Eurocontrol, for further reading: eurocontrol.int/articles/mode-s-operational-overview - I hadn't heard of this, and I'm not sure the US is set up to use EHS. Is this just limited to some parts of EU? $\endgroup$
    – egid
    Commented Apr 13, 2018 at 21:26
  • $\begingroup$ I just can tell for Germany (where I am working) an Eurocontrol. I could imagine that Europe is, due to the high traffic demand, the only region where Mode S transponders are mandatory and therefore in the US this isn‘t set up $\endgroup$
    – pcfreakxx
    Commented Apr 14, 2018 at 5:24
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If the ATC Automation System supports the Display of Mode S - Enhanced Surveillance Data, Then ATC Radar will display the Level Selected by Flight Crew If the Aircraft is equipped with MOde S - EHS Transponder. The method of showing the Selected Level varies from Automation System to Automation System. The below image is an example for various data obtained from aircraft in an ATM Automation System.

Mode S Extended Label Window

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  • $\begingroup$ The last two rows are the data down linked from the aircraft to the ATC Automation display. In case you are interested in knowing what are the other figures downlinked , its explained below in the same order as shown in the extended label picture. 1. ICAO Address; 2. Selected Altitude; 3. Heading; 4. IAS (Knots); 5. Mach; 6. TAS; 7. Ground Speed 8. Inertial Vertical Velocity; 9. Barometric Vertical Velocity; 10. Track Angle Rate; 11. Roll Angle; 12. True Track Angle. $\endgroup$
    – Shahab Mohd
    Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 13:28
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ATC only sees the altitude reported by the Transponder, which is provided by a seperate Altitude Encoder.
In the US by Jan 1 2020, all air vehicles operating in most US airspace where radios are required are required to have ADS-B Out to report position & altitude over their transponder.

(Seems that airlines and the military will be late to the game, not having access to the same equipment that smaller planes are installing now or have already installed. Panel mount and remote mount units are being installed for certificated planes that fly IFR, and other non-permanently installed units for experimental & VFR only craft are also being connected. Also, ADS-B In units for recieving other's position reports and displaying in iPad or similar are very popular. My transponder has both and shows me traffic on my Moving Map GPS/Nav/Com unit.)

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    $\begingroup$ Thanks for the answer. Meanwhile, I did some more research myself, and I found out that the Mode S (Enhanced Suveillance) EHS contains the 'selected altitude' and, yes, is visible to the ATC radar. (I fly in Europe and found the info on skybrary.aero/index.php/Mode_S#Functionality_2 and eurocontrol.int/articles/mode-s-operational-overview ) $\endgroup$
    – Fantom
    Commented Apr 13, 2018 at 13:56
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    $\begingroup$ @Fantom - We encourage the asker to post an answer after they've done further research, please do so, so others can read it as a standalone post and vote on it :) $\endgroup$
    – user14897
    Commented Apr 13, 2018 at 14:18
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No. That information is contained within the automatic flight control system. All altitude reporting to ATC comes from a radar transponder with an altitude reporting capability.

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    $\begingroup$ Given @pcfreakxx's answer, and Eurocontrol support for Mode S Enhanced, I'm not sure this answer is specific enough. $\endgroup$
    – egid
    Commented Apr 13, 2018 at 21:27

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