how often does this happen?

[kostcoguy]

My friend on my lacrosse team told me yesterday that on Friday when his brother was going up to Canada his father called to here the status of the flight and they said they did not have it on radar. He swears this is what happened. Was it they just weren't near the airport yet or does this happen often...? Thanks in advance.

 

[DE727UPS]

For jet airliners in domestic service it's pretty rare. I used to go non-radar for a short time flying between Houston and GDL or MEX but never had it happen anywhere else. There are your occasional radar failures, too. As far as smaller planes, it's not all that uncommon at out of the way airports or in mountainous regions. Remember, before radar, ATC seperated aircraft using non-radar techniques and the controllers are supposed up on how to seperate planes in a non-radar situation.

 

[derg]

I remember flying in and out of MQT in Michigan and when you'd get below 9,000 or so, you'd lose radar coverage...

 

[jtrain609]

If you're below 5,000 anywhere north of MBS in Michigan you get lost. Kinda sucks when you are VFR and the clouds are hanging out at 4,000 and your putting along the V133 at 3,500 with no radar coverage up to TVC. I got picked up ONCE at 4,500 at around the HTL VOR on the V133...ONCE. I don't think that luck will ever happen again.

I don't even want to fly anywhere NEAR the UP. I've got a few friends going to Michigan Tech up in Houghton, though, so I'll probably end up heading up there anyways.

Cheers


John Herreshoff

 

[cime_sp]

It simply may not have been on the controllers screen. They are only responsible for certain areas...

 

[seagull]

Most of Canada is non RADAR