Radar Identification Flashcards
What must you do before you provide radar service?
Establish and maintain radar identification
What methods of radar identification do you use when using only
Mode 3/A?
• Request aircraft to ident and observe the display
• Request aircraft to change to a computer assigned code and
observe the display (assigned code should be in the limited data
block)
• Observe automatic track acquisition of aircraft squawking a
discrete computer assigned beacon code (full data block
appears with associated target)
How do you identify a primary target?
• Observing a target whose position with respect to a fix or visual
representation corresponds with a direct position report from the
aircraft (fix must be displayed on the map overlay, the observed
track is consistent with the reported heading for route of flight)
• Observing a target making an identifying turn of 30 degrees or
more provided the aircraft is in your airspace and above the MIA
in your airspace before issuing the heading
When do you inform an aircraft that it is in radar contact?
When initial radar identification in the ATC system is established
and when radar contact is reestablished
When do you inform an aircraft that radar contact is lost?
When identification is still desired but lost due to some
uncontrollable situation like radar failure or no target return
What do you do if identification is questionable for any reason?
• Take immediate action to re identify the aircraft or terminate
radar service
• Ensure all primary targets are displayed when radar identification
is lost or questionable
When must you inform an aircraft of its position when radar identifying
them?
Beacon methods or turns
When is position information not needed to be given when radar
identifying an aircraft?
Position correlation
Inform an aircraft when radar service is terminated because of:
Identification is no longer necessary or aircraft proceeds into
nonradar coverage area
When is radar service automatically terminated and the aircraft need
not be advised?
• An aircraft cancels its IFR flight plan except in class B or C
airspace and where basic radar service is provided
• An aircraft conducting an instrument, visual, or contact approach
has either landed or been instructed to chance to advisory
frequency
When must and arriving aircraft be informed then radar service is
terminated at tower-controlled airports?
Where radar coverage does not exist within ½ miles of the end
of the runway
When will an aircraft discontinue and resume reporting over
compulsory reporting points?
Discontinue when radar identified and resume when ATC
advises radar contact lost or radar service terminated
To provide continuous identity, use data blocks that are associated
with the appropriate target symbol and retain the data block until….?
The aircraft has exited the sector or delegated airspace and all
potential conflicts have bee resolved (this includes point out
aircraft)
What items are required to be displayed in the full data block?
ACID, interim or assigned altitude or reported altitude
What must be displayed when you have responsibility for an aircraft
and a paired track exists?
Full data block
What other items are available for display?
CID, beacon code, leader line, vector line, position symbol
What conditions must a flight satisfy before it is eligible for automatic
track initiation?
Must have a stored flight plan and the last two numbers of the
assigned beacon code must not be 00
What are cases of automatic track initiation?
Flights from an adjacent NAS center, Departures from adapted
airports, Flights with holds manually canceled, En route flight
plan acquiring a discrete beacon code, Flights with tentative
flight plan storage
What is the track type determined by?
The computer unless controller specifies type
What are the three types of tracks?
Free Track, Flat Track (flight plain aided tracking), and Coast
Track
Explain Free Track.
Position symbol is a triangle, utilizes latest ground speed and
heading information, displayed with data block on display,
oriented relative to initial direction of track based on radar data
Explain FLAT Track (flight plan aided tracking).
Position symbol is a diamond, utilizes free track process plus
information from the flight plan, based on- airway or route
heading in the flight plan/speed (filed TAS determines ground
speed prediction and forecast upper winds are taken into
consideration)/planned maneuvers (prediction is based on
planned route changes
What is the preferred tracking?
Flat Track
What tolerances are adaptable locally?
Lateral and longitudinal
What does the computer do when the aircraft is in lateral tolerance
but out of longitudinal tolerance?
Calculates new flight plan position, issues updated times,
remains in flat track
If an aircraft is out of lateral tolerance what will happen?
It will change to free track until it returns to within lateral
tolerance (no longer eligible for automatic updates)
What must be done for an aircraft on vectors, weather deviation, or
other changes to route in order to remain in flat track?
Controller must enter amended route
What are the advantages of FLAT track over free track?
Auto handoffs, auto position time updates, coast tracking using
flight plan data, more accurate track prediction, forced FDB if
handoff is not made
What is the typical sequence of track events?
Track is started (FLAT), Track exceeds parameter limits (Free),
Route is amended (FLAT), Track deviates from route due to
weather or exceeding parameters (free), Track returns to route
(FLAT)
When a position symbol changes from FLAT Track to Free Track,
what does that signify? Explain.
The target is outside flat track tolerance and is no longer within
the confines of the route stored in the computer. Because of this,
the flight is no longer eligible for automatic updates.
