Flight in Class A Airspace with No Transponder...

I just was talking about that with another captain here yesterday. Our MEL says that 2 transponders are installed and 0 are required. CRAZY. Apparently the only things you can't do is RVSM and PRMs. I personally think that is a really dumb idea, but what ever.
 
BobDDuck said:
I just was talking about that with another captain here yesterday. Our MEL says that 2 transponders are installed and 0 are required. CRAZY. Apparently the only things you can't do is RVSM and PRMs. I personally think that is a really dumb idea, but what ever.
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what's RVSM:crazy:
 
BobDDuck said:
I just was talking about that with another captain here yesterday. Our MEL says that 2 transponders are installed and 0 are required. CRAZY. Apparently the only things you can't do is RVSM and PRMs. I personally think that is a really dumb idea, but what ever.
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They'll definitely get you out of busy airspace.... but lots of pre-coordination is required.

Also, brush up on those position reports... although we didn't do too many, since they told us that we were radar contact. Guess those guys are that good - they only need a Primary Radar return...

question for any ATC'ers that stumble across this.... can you put a data block or some marker on an unidentified radar return?
 
KSCessnaDriver said:
Glider?
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That was my first thought before reading the whole thread - Gliders can routinely operate in class A without transponders if there is an LOA between the center and the gliding site.

cencal83406 said:
question for any ATC'ers that stumble across this.... can you put a data block or some marker on an unidentified radar return?
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Not an ATC'er, but the Navy can do it - AEGIS will autotag a primary return and then figure out altitude, course and speed - without any transponder information - it's up to humans to identify and classify the track.

non-AEGIS systems rely on a person to look at the primary return, tag it - autotracker will figure out course and speed after a few sweeps - if the auto-tracker is inoperative, then you have to re-tag it to get the computer to figure out the track course and speed and get the track to "coast." To get an altitude with a non-transponder aircraft you have to either light the target up with a fire control radar (not something to be take lightly - if it's military they will know they are lit up and can/may respond accordingly - if it's civilian they have no clue) or do some fancy math by messing with the antenna elevation and radar lobes.
 
cencal83406 said:
They'll definitely get you out of busy airspace.... but lots of pre-coordination is required.

Also, brush up on those position reports... although we didn't do too many, since they told us that we were radar contact. Guess those guys are that good - they only need a Primary Radar return...

question for any ATC'ers that stumble across this.... can you put a data block or some marker on an unidentified radar return?
Click to expand...

yes both enroute an terminal systems can track primary targets with a data block, and ive tracked A/C several time in class A with out a txp with no problem you just do not have mode C so you have to up date the tag .
 
Turbine said:
Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum

Basically allows more efficient use of airspace by decreasing the vertical separation minimums.
This doubles the usable airspace by allowing 1000ft vertical separation as opposed to 2000ft vertical separation, as long as you're flying above FL290.

Here is a good article on RVSM.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/enroute/rvsm/
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thanks man...excellent!

As far as RVSM, I was teasing Ethan because I was a Brasilia captain and we were limited to 290 because we weren't RVSM approved and he is a jet captain...but he knew I was being sarcastic.

The cool part is someone who may not know what RVSM does now!
 
Bumblebee said:
thanks man...I appreciate your expertise on turbine engines you shared with the guy that bought one...excellent!

As far as RVSM, I was teasing Ethan because I was a Brasilia captain and we were limited to 290 because we weren't RVSM approved and he is a jet captain...but he knew I was being sarcastic.

The cool part is someone who may not know what RVSM does now!
Click to expand...

Ha o gotcha! Sorry capt, you could've wrote me a book! Thanks for the response!

Turbine
 
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