Squawk change

bimmerphile said:
What's the reasoning behind squawk code changes in flight? I can't find a consistent pattern of where and why it happens.
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The stuff that was previously broken/inop got magically fixed enroute. Happens all the time at some operators... Oh, wait, you were talking about transponders. :)
 
thesoonerkid said:
Also each approach control has some subset of the overlying centers codes delegated to them for local use. These aren’t tied to the host computer.

So for example if a vfr guy calls up and after making sure he’s in my airspace as opposed to another sector I’ll him a code real fast (all I need is the call sign). This way I can radar ID him then figure out (as I have time) if he’s just going to land locally or wants flight following somewhere outside our airspace. If he’s landing outside our airspace then he would need a new code so i don’t have to do a manual handy with the center
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I feel like Yuma approach just makes these local vfr codes up as they. I'm not stationed here, but in the last two weeks I've been given two squawks that end in 8. That hasn't happened to me that many times combined in 10 years of flying. It's fun to watch a student's head explode when he enters it in over and over and it just flashes at him. Yeahhhhh....this flight is going awesome and we haven't even taxi'd.

FWIW, I have no qualms with Yuma Approach. They have no problem treating my like VFR traffic when I'm VFR; unlike Cherry Point where I feel like I'm going to be arrested if I deviate from their suggested routing.
 
Flyinthrew said:
I feel like Yuma approach just makes these local vfr codes up as they. I'm not stationed here, but in the last two weeks I've been given two squawks that end in 8. That hasn't happened to me that many times combined in 10 years of flying. It's fun to watch a student's head explode when he enters it in over and over and it just flashes at him. Yeahhhhh....this flight is going awesome and we haven't even taxi'd.

FWIW, I have no qualms with Yuma Approach. They have no problem treating my like VFR traffic when I'm VFR; unlike Cherry Point where I feel like I'm going to be arrested if I deviate from their suggested routing.
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It's either a controller effing with you or someone else effing with a trainee controller. Probably someone effing with the trainee. That's always fun. I used to call the data trainees to request a full route on Coast Guard zero Charlie kilo (C0CK). Good times.
 
I used to work at a facility that would get a lot of military come in to do practice approaches. Our local SOP said we had to give all practice approaches a local code. since we used arrival strips some people would do the codes before the guys hit the boundary that way they didn’t have to deal with it when they got there (not that pressing 2 buttons on the keyboard is a lot). Sometimes when you’re bored some trainers would put in an 8 or 9 as a code to see if the trainee caught it. I’m not sure which was more fun the trainne not figuring out why the guy couldn’t squawk an 8 or the student pilot trying to figure out how to tell the controller they couldn’t put in an 8 to the transponder
 
thesoonerkid said:
Our local SOP said we had to give all practice approaches a local code. since we used arrival strips some people would do the codes before the guys hit the boundary that way they didn’t have to deal with it when they got there (not that pressing 2 buttons on the keyboard is a lot)
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Same experience for me. Military aircraft inbound on a NAS code and most likely wanting multiple practice approaches. MultiFunc, Modify, +, Slew Enter. Datablock flashing the new beacon code before you even talk to him....if they do want multiple approaches just tell them the new code, and if they only want one approach to a full stop then Slew Enter on the datablock again to get rid of the flashing beacon code and leave it on the NAS code.
 
U90, I see two different pracrices at the same time. I'm usually arriving back to TUS in the 0130-0300L timeframe. We fly with a discreet squawk, and at these hours I'm normally the only one in the airspace. Calling up TRACON, some controllers will just ID me with the discreet code I have in and work me from there, other controllers seem to always reassign a standard 04XX code on check in, even though Im the only one they are working. Any particular reason for the difference?
 
MikeD said:
U90, I see two different pracrices at the same time. I'm usually arriving back to TUS in the 0130-0300L timeframe. We fly with a discreet squawk, and at these hours I'm normally the only one in the airspace. Calling up TRACON, some controllers will just ID me with the discreet code I have in and work me from there, other controllers seem to always reassign a standard 04XX code on check in, even though Im the only one they are working. Any particular reason for the difference?
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The ones who give you the local 04xx code may not realize you were on your own code already (or didn't think of it out of habit). Next time you call just tell them your squawk code on the initial Call and they shouldn't give you a new code. It's the midshift so they were probably only half paying attention if there wasn't anyone else on freq
 
NovemberEcho said:
The ones who give you the local 04xx code may not realize you were on your own code already (or didn't think of it out of habit). Next time you call just tell them your squawk code on the initial Call and they shouldn't give you a new code. It's the midshift so they were probably only half paying attention if there wasn't anyone else on freq
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Funny you say that because for about 3-4 of my nights, its the same female controller working all freqs during my arrival time and she always sounds like we just woke her up. :)
 
Are VFR code prefixes standard per TRACON? Where U90 always assigns 04XX, P50 always assigns 53XX for their arrivals.
 
NovemberEcho said:
The ones who give you the local 04xx code may not realize you were on your own code already (or didn't think of it out of habit). Next time you call just tell them your squawk code on the initial Call and they shouldn't give you a new code. It's the midshift so they were probably only half paying attention if there wasn't anyone else on freq
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Half the time, controllers don’t even listen to what you say on initial contact. Especially when it comes to the ATIS. I can’t even begin to count the number of times on initial that we tell the controller,
“We have “Alpha,” and the response is,
“Alpha is current, report getting Alpha.”
“Uhh, we already reported Alpha, sir.”
“OK, thanks.”

Wasted radio calls and words. :(
 
MikeD said:
Are VFR code prefixes standard per TRACON? Where U90 always assigns 04XX, P50 always assigns 53XX for their arrivals.
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Yeah each Tracon will have a set of local VFR codes and some will have local IFR codes as well. Like N90 is 03, PHL is 02, ABE 04. At Tyndall we had 04 j think for VFR and 01 for local IFR pickups.

You may notice if you are given one of the local codes and will transiting multiple facilities airspace you'll get another code at some point because those local codes can only interact with adjacent facilities but aren't in the NAS system so you can't be flashed beyond that.
 
Cptnchia said:
Half the time, controllers don’t even listen to what you say on initial contact. Especially when it comes to the ATIS. I can’t even begin to count the number of times on initial that we tell the controller,
“We have “Alpha,” and the response is,
“Alpha is current, report getting Alpha.”
“Uhh, we already reported Alpha, sir.”
“OK, thanks.”

Wasted radio calls and words. :(
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Half the time we can't understand what you say on initial contact (looking at you UAL). Or we had multiple people talking into our ear at once so we caught your callsign but couldn't hear anything else.
 
NovemberEcho said:
Yeah each Tracon will have a set of local VFR codes and some will have local IFR codes as well. Like N90 is 03, PHL is 02, ABE 04. At Tyndall we had 04 j think for VFR and 01 for local IFR pickups.

You may notice if you are given one of the local codes and will transiting multiple facilities airspace you'll get another code at some point because those local codes can only interact with adjacent facilities but aren't in the NAS system so you can't be flashed beyond that.
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Great info to pass onto the other pilots that have veen wondering. Appreciate the explanation.
 
MikeD said:
U90, I see two different pracrices at the same time. I'm usually arriving back to TUS in the 0130-0300L timeframe. We fly with a discreet squawk, and at these hours I'm normally the only one in the airspace. Calling up TRACON, some controllers will just ID me with the discreet code I have in and work me from there, other controllers seem to always reassign a standard 04XX code on check in, even though Im the only one they are working. Any particular reason for the difference?
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I'm guessing the code you're usually on is a 44XX code. I've had instances where there's multiple aircraft on those same codes and in areas of spotty radar coverage if the datablock drops off, it won't reacquire on the correct radar target. Usually not a big deal, but some controllers always give a local facility code. I've heard some pilots say they aren't supposed to come off their 44XX code since they're on a mission and refuse a change to a local code.
MikeD said:
Are VFR code prefixes standard per TRACON? Where U90 always assigns 04XX, P50 always assigns 53XX for their arrivals.
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The most common local codes are the 01XX, 02XX, 03XX, and 04XX. Just depending on the nearby facilities and how the codes were distributed determines which ones each facility will use. I've worked a facility that used all 4 subsets for IFR and VFR local flights.
Another facility I was at used 03XX, 04XX, 53XX, 55XX, 56XX for VFR; and 01XX for IFR.
 
Stinger said:
I'm guessing the code you're usually on is a 44XX code. I've had instances where there's multiple aircraft on those same codes and in areas of spotty radar coverage if the datablock drops off, it won't reacquire on the correct radar target. Usually not a big deal, but some controllers always give a local facility code. I've heard some pilots say they aren't supposed to come off their 44XX code since they're on a mission and refuse a change to a local code.

The most common local codes are the 01XX, 02XX, 03XX, and 04XX. Just depending on the nearby facilities and how the codes were distributed determines which ones each facility will use. I've worked a facility that used all 4 subsets for IFR and VFR local flights.
Another facility I was at used 03XX, 04XX, 53XX, 55XX, 56XX for VFR; and 01XX for IFR.
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Yeah we're on a 44XX code when out and about. Our ops center in RIV identifies us through those, however if entering any local airspace such as Class B/C and assigned a local code, I just advise our ops center what our current code is so they can keep tracking us. It's really no big deal, as the birds all have SATTRACK, so whatever Mode 3 we are squawking is really a secondary means of ID/tracking for our planes, with SAT being primary. Hence being on a local assigned code shouldn't be an issue.
 
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