Questions tagged [transponder]
A radar transponder is a radio beacon on an aircraft that replies to a radar interrogation. The transponder encodes information into the reply, allowing air traffic control to know the aircraft's altitude and identity.
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Why are gliders oftentimes not equipped with a transponder?
Oftentimes gliders are not equipped with transponders (at least in Europe). Even if they are, they do not necessarily operate it at all times. This is allowed by SERA.13001:
(a) When an aircraft ...
2
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1answer
422 views
What does prevent installing an ADS-B transponder on a vehicle?
FlightRadar24 indicates they also track ground vehicles:
Ground vehicles visible on Flightradar24 are generally those that are most active in the movement areas of an airport, like airport rescue and ...
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How far can a plane squawking 7700 be heard and how quickly will the news spread?
This is just an idle question I have after watching Non-Stop (2014), but suppose a plane (let's assume a Boeing 767-400) is over the Atlantic and sets its transponder to indicate it's in an emergency. ...
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Why does the A320 transponder's CLR button do two different things, depending on how many digits were entered?
I have to admit I've only flown in simulators but everyone of them implements the "CLR" button of the transponder in an A320 (maybe also others) the following way:
It removes the fourth ...
6
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1answer
144 views
Why bits are mixed up (interleaved) during ATC transponder mode A and mode C reply format?
In the image above from radartutorial.eu, we can see that the sequence of bits are c1 a1 c2 a2 c4 a4 during the reply of ATC transponder mode A.
Why are the bits not transmitted like c1 c2 c4 then a1 ...
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1answer
105 views
What information does Mode S provide?
What information about own aircraft does TCAS Mode s( all call) send in the interrogation?
What information does Mode S transponder(intruder)replay to TCAS interrogation?
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Is a Mode S transponder required as part of TCAS I?
Is a Mode S transponder required as part of TCAS I?
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1answer
103 views
What is the difference between SSR and ADS-B?
Can someone explain what is the difference between SSR transponder and ADS-B. From what I know ADS-B is a capability that can be incorporated into a transponder, but I do not understand the difference ...
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1answer
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How can I know if the Garmin GTX 345 transponder supports modes A and C?
How can I know if the GTX 345 supports mode A/C?
I did not find a mention in the installation manual the capability of mode A/C.
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3answers
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Are mode C altitude returns valid for aircraft separation?
According to FAA JO 7110.65 5-12-8 'Validation of MODE C READOUT', Mode C is valid if there is less than 300 feet deviation from the pilot reported altitude.
If ATC instruct 'A' aircraft to maintain 5,...
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1answer
91 views
Why does CFR §91.215 part (b) list specific areas for transponder operations?
Why does part (b) list individual sections where transponder operations are required when part (c) states that transponder operation is required in all controlled airspace? All sections listed in part ...
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How are both squawk and altitude transmited when operating a Transponder in Mode C?
I know that in Mode $3$ (which includes Mode A and Mode C) the aircraft transmits $12$ information pulses. That corresponds to $2^{12}=4096$ squawk combinations in Mode A which are sent to ATC to ...
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2answers
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Is it legal to fly without a transponder?
Everything is legal / airworthy.
Except:
Transponder is installed. It does work. It has NOT been inspected in any time frame that would show it is properly maintained.
Flight is
Golf, Echo, Delta &...
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2answers
5k views
Should I contact ATC if I don't have a transponder?
The flight school I usually rent from is under the shelf of class C airspace. If you're going out to a practice area, the standard procedure is to contact approach control and get a squawk code, so ...
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2answers
176 views
Is it possible for squawk to change automatically in emergency situations?
It might be a silly question, but is it possible for an airliner to automatically switch the squawk code to emergency (7700) during a flight? (For example in case of losing all engines)
Thank You In ...
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1answer
102 views
Does the FAA construe FAR 91.225 to prohibit aircraft w/o electrical systems w/o ADS-B-out from flying above 10,000' MSL unless below 2500' AGL?
Does the FAA construe FAR 91.225 as imposing a general prohibition on flight above 10,000' MSL (excluding airspace below 2500' AGL) in aircraft without ADS-B-out, even for aircraft without engine-...
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1answer
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Are there any situations where it's beneficial to disable altitude reporting in TCAS?
Having altitude reporting enabled persistently seems like a pretty common-sense thing to do -- it enables RA in addition to TA, the benefits of which are fairly obvious. That said, most of the common ...
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3answers
241 views
Would FAR 91.227, or any other regulation, forbid use of ADS-B-out in an unregistered ultralight?
In the US, would FAR 91.227, or any other regulation or law, forbid use of ADS-B-out in an unregistered ultralight? Could the N-number field simply be left blank, without violating any regulation or ...
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1answer
618 views
Why do I never see fighter jets on sites like FlighRadar24 and ADBSExchange.com [duplicate]
On ADS-B Exchange they even have a filter option for military aircraft, and it will show all kinds of transport, mid-air refuelers, helicopters, and even training aircraft like the Texan, but I don't ...
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2answers
1k views
Is a Mode C or S Transponder a type of Mode 3 Transponder?
Mode A transponders are sometimes referred to as Mode 3/A transponders. According to NATO STANAG 4193 (not publicly available, summary from Wikipedia), the "3" in that description refers to the mode ...
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1answer
88 views
Why is Mode C helpful for ASDE-X systems?
Airports that operate an ASDE-X system require aircraft to operate transponders in mode C while moving on the surface.
While I understand the general purpose of operating the transponder to ...
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1answer
245 views
Are Transponder Mode A and C still in use?
Are the ATC transponder Mode A and Mode C still in use (according to ICAO or FAA rules)?
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374 views
FAR 91.215 (b)(3)(ii) -- transponders-- does the "or below 10,000' MSL" clause have any practical significance?
Here are some of the airspaces where FAR 91.215 requires aircraft to have transponders--
(b) ...
(2) All aircraft. In all airspace within 30 nautical miles of an
airport listed in appendix D,...
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1answer
285 views
FAR 91.215-- may an aircraft with no electrical system and no transponder overfly Wheeler AAF at 9500' MSL?
Here are some of the airspaces where FAR 91.215 requires aircraft to have transponders--
(b) ...
(2) All aircraft. In all airspace within 30 nautical miles of an
airport listed in appendix D,...
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1answer
193 views
What additional airspace will be off-limits to an a/c w/ no elect. system or xponder under 91.225 (ADS-B) compared to under 91.215?
Under FAR 91.225 (requirement for ADS-B-out), what additional airspace over the 48 contiguous states in the U.S. will be off-limits to an aircraft w/ no electrical system or transponder, compared to ...
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2answers
334 views
How feasible digital radio communications would be? [closed]
Its been over 100 years since we first flew and we still use analog radio with parasites and "radio effect" which changes your sound.
Why don't we ditch the old system and make a mandate a new law ...
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7answers
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Why do (or did, until very recently) aircraft transponders wait to be interrogated before broadcasting beacon signals?
An aircraft’s transponder transmits signals that announce (at the very least) the aircraft’s identity, altitude, and direction of motion (plus, for most newer aircraft, a whole slew of other useful ...
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1answer
257 views
Why does setting the Legacy 600's transponder to standby mode also deactivate its TCAS?
In 2006, a 737 operating as Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907 crashed following a collision with a Legacy 600 business jet; the Legacy's transponder proved to have been in standby mode1 at the time ...
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3answers
191 views
What does the future of the weather radars look like?
Planes had weather radars for a long time (Dassault Falcon and Learjet35A) which was useful since you either had to ask ATC, listen the ATIS frequency or ask the flight advisory before flight planning ...
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What is the purpose of squawking 7777?
Aircraft use transponders to communicate to ATC their position and status. Some squawk codes are reserved, such as 7700 (emergency), 7600 (communication failure), 7500 (hijacking), 1202 (glider), 1200 ...
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What do you squawk when multiple conditions apply?
There are three standard transponder codes for exceptional situations: 7500 (hijacking), 7600 (radio failure), and 7700 (general emergency). Which code do you use if multiple situations apply? For ...
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3answers
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Is a mode C transponder required underneath Class C airspace?
FAR 91.215 states that a mode C transponder is required for...
all aircraft in all airspace above the ceiling and within the lateral
boundaries of a Class B or Class C airspace area designated ...
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2answers
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Should I switch the transponder to STBY or not while changing codes?
I´m now reading Bob Gardner’s book “Say again, please” and there is this instruction on page 54:
Do not turn the transponder function switch to STBY while changing codes.
What is the reason for ...
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3answers
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In a part 91 formation flight within a mode C veil, are all the aircraft required to have their transponders on?
Two aircraft are planning on conducting a standard formation flight (aircraft remaining within 1 mile of each other) as follows in the U.S.:
Maintaining VFR below 10,000 MSL;
Remaining outside/clear ...
2
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1answer
416 views
How to keep a Garmin GTX330 turned off when powering on avionics?
There seems to be an option in the GTX 330 settings that keeps to unit from powering on when receiveing power from the power system.
I flew in two different airplanes and one immediately powered on ...
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1answer
593 views
If a pilot has the wrong altimeter setting, will his transponder mode C altitude be off too? [duplicate]
Just wondering if the transponder mode C reported altitude will be off if the pilot accidentally has the wrong altimeter setting.
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Why would a Mode-C transponder report a different altitude than an altimeter/GPS?
This is related to a small single-engined plane.
On a recent flight, the controller kept telling me that I was 300 ft higher than it appeared on my altimeter and GPS (which were in sync). This was ...
3
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1answer
453 views
When do controllers assign a squawk code to VFR aircraft in Canada?
In all of my previous flying experience the controllers provided a squawk code only when I requested flight following. On a recent flight from Buttonville, Ontario (CYKZ), the controller provided a ...
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Is a VFR flight following request implied when talking to tower and advising them of your intended airport?
If I am at a towered airport in class delta airspace and I'm departing VFR and tell the ground where I want to go, is it implied to the controller that I'm requesting VFR flight following?
Let's say ...
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2answers
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What requirements do A&Ps (AMT) have to work on avionics?
Is there any additional requirement for A&Ps to work on avionics or is that even a totally different license?
I just wonder why only a few A&Ps I met, also do avionics.
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3answers
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How do I tell ATC that I don't have a transponder?
If my plane doesn't have a transponder and ATC tells me to squawk some transponder code, how should I respond? Is it just as simple as "I don't have a transponder"?
This is for the United States and ...
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5answers
3k views
How does ATC locate a stealth aircraft if its transponder fails?
Stealth aircraft are built to have near-zero radar visibility, so that, in a warzone, it'll be harder for the enemy to see it on their radars to shoot it down.
However, air traffic control also use ...
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2answers
714 views
If the static port get blocked, and no alternate static air source is fitted, will the transponder keep provide mode C?
If the static port get blocked for any reasons and the aircraft is not fitted with an alternate static source while in Mode C with SSR, will the ATC still get the height information from my ...
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1answer
4k views
Which antenna on an commercial airline airplane is used for the transponder (SSR)?
On the 767-200 image I see no SSR antenna, but since that TCAS uses the transponder I guess that are sharing the same antenna. Am I right ?]1
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What is Mode B on the transponder?
Mode A selected on the transponder provides identification of the aircraft to the secondary radar; Mode C will add an automatic height read-out of an aircraft. Mode S is a selective addressing. But ...
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1answer
470 views
What Height Atc radar reads from pilot selection [duplicate]
Just want to know whether ATC radar always reads aircraft height with respect to standard altitude setting or will read the change in height if we select QNH instead of standard 1013 hPa (QNE)?
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Which source to use when reporting the current altitude to ATC?
While flying from KSNA to KVCB VFR at night, Norcal Approach asked for my current altitude. I was somewhere between 12.0 and 12.5 depending on which reading I was going to use. ATC had me confirm. ...
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1answer
458 views
Can a TCAS be alerted when the intruder aircraft has a transponder in stand-by mode?
Can a TCAS give a TAs (traffic advisories) if the intruder aircraft has a transponder in stand-by mode?
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How does the modulation of the transponder work?
The transponder works in PCM (pulse code modulation): how does it work in the transponder? I can find explanation of what PCM is, but not if the signal sent from the transponder antenna is digital or ...
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Why don't transponders send gps coordinates and other important info in addition to altitude and transponder code?
I heard that they were waiting for the patent holder's patent to expire, but just wanted to confirm.
