Radar Identification

Question 1

What must you do before you provide radar service?

Answer 1

Establish and maintain radar identification

Question 2

What methods of radar identification do you use when using only
Mode 3/A?

Answer 2

• 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)

Question 3

How do you identify a primary target?

Answer 3

• 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

Question 4

When do you inform an aircraft that it is in radar contact?

Answer 4

When initial radar identification in the ATC system is established
and when radar contact is reestablished

Question 5

When do you inform an aircraft that radar contact is lost?

Answer 5

When identification is still desired but lost due to some

uncontrollable situation like radar failure or no target return

Question 6

What do you do if identification is questionable for any reason?

Answer 6

• 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

Question 7

When must you inform an aircraft of its position when radar identifying
them?

Answer 7

Beacon methods or turns

Question 8

When is position information not needed to be given when radar
identifying an aircraft?

Answer 8

Position correlation

Question 9

Inform an aircraft when radar service is terminated because of:

Answer 9

Identification is no longer necessary or aircraft proceeds into
nonradar coverage area

Question 10

When is radar service automatically terminated and the aircraft need
not be advised?

Answer 10

• 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

Question 11

When must and arriving aircraft be informed then radar service is
terminated at tower-controlled airports?

Answer 11

Where radar coverage does not exist within ½ miles of the end
of the runway

Question 12

When will an aircraft discontinue and resume reporting over

compulsory reporting points?

Answer 12

Discontinue when radar identified and resume when ATC

advises radar contact lost or radar service terminated

Question 13

To provide continuous identity, use data blocks that are associated
with the appropriate target symbol and retain the data block until….?

Answer 13

The aircraft has exited the sector or delegated airspace and all
potential conflicts have bee resolved (this includes point out
aircraft)

Question 14

What items are required to be displayed in the full data block?

Answer 14

ACID, interim or assigned altitude or reported altitude

Question 15

What must be displayed when you have responsibility for an aircraft
and a paired track exists?

Answer 15

Full data block

Question 16

What other items are available for display?

Answer 16

CID, beacon code, leader line, vector line, position symbol

Question 17

What conditions must a flight satisfy before it is eligible for automatic
track initiation?

Answer 17

Must have a stored flight plan and the last two numbers of the
assigned beacon code must not be 00

Question 18

What are cases of automatic track initiation?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

What is the track type determined by?

Answer 19

The computer unless controller specifies type

Question 20

What are the three types of tracks?

Answer 20

Free Track, Flat Track (flight plain aided tracking), and Coast
Track

Question 21

Explain Free Track.

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Explain FLAT Track (flight plan aided tracking).

Answer 22

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

Question 23

What is the preferred tracking?

Answer 23

Flat Track

Question 24

What tolerances are adaptable locally?

Answer 24

Lateral and longitudinal

Question 25

What does the computer do when the aircraft is in lateral tolerance
but out of longitudinal tolerance?

Answer 25

Calculates new flight plan position, issues updated times,

remains in flat track

Question 26

If an aircraft is out of lateral tolerance what will happen?

Answer 26

It will change to free track until it returns to within lateral
tolerance (no longer eligible for automatic updates)

Question 27

What must be done for an aircraft on vectors, weather deviation, or
other changes to route in order to remain in flat track?

Answer 27

Controller must enter amended route

Question 28

What are the advantages of FLAT track over free track?

Answer 28

Auto handoffs, auto position time updates, coast tracking using
flight plan data, more accurate track prediction, forced FDB if
handoff is not made

Question 29

What is the typical sequence of track events?

Answer 29

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)

Question 30

When a position symbol changes from FLAT Track to Free Track,
what does that signify? Explain.

Answer 30

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.