Squawk Code, What is it??

[Sobby]

Great Game

But what is the squawk code

[squilky]

I believe the Squawk code is what ATC uses to identify your aircraft so they can track it.

[Staiduk]

The transponder is a radio installed in an aircraft that sends out a signal on a given frequency; so that ATC can identify him on radar.

When an aircraft calls ATC and requests assistance; whether that be flight following; vectors direct etc. ATC will assign him to a frequency different from all other aircraft in the region. There are several specific frequencies as well. Under normal circumstances; planes flying around keep the transponder set to 1200; the code which means the 'plane is flying VFR. Codes 0000, 4000 and 7777 are military freqs. Code 7600 tells ATC your radios have failed; and 7700 means you have an in-flight emergency. If you put in code 7500; you're in trouble - it means you've been hijacked.

Hope this helps!

[MIKE JG]

A squawk code is a 4 digit code assigned to aircraft either by ATC or used by individual aircraft to indicate certain info.  

Flying IFR the squawk code is used to identify individual flights that are operating on an IFR flight plan.  The code can be any 4 digit combination, with a few exceptions, using the numbers 0 - 7.  You enter this code in the aircraft's transponder.  The transponder then electronically registers this code with the radar systems used by ATC.  In the IFR world this squawk code is automatically generated by the air trafffic control system and is generated on the flight strip that each controller gets as you fly through the system.  It's a secondary system used to identify aircraft other than their callsigns.

In the VFR world the standard squawk code is 1 2 0 0.  When a controller sees a blip on his radar screen, depending on whether the a/c is equipped with a transponder or not,  he may see several bits of info tagged to the little blip.  Usually an aircraft with a transponder will tell the radar system it's altitude, and squawk code.  If you are just tooling around under visual flight rules(VFR) you should be squawking 1200.  This lets any ATC person know right away that you are operating your aircraft under VFR rules and not under the control of any ATC folks.

Now when you fly into a controlled airport, one with radar services, while operating under VFR rules, the local controller will assign you a squawk code to enter into your transponder when you establish intitial radio contact with that agency.  This is again another way of identifying you in that persons ATC system.

There are 4096 possible codes that can be squawked.  Hence you may see a transponder refered to as a 4096 transponder.  Several of these are discrete codes and are only to be used in certain circumstances.

For example:  As we already said 1200 designates an aircraft operating under VFR rules.

7700 designates an aircraft that has an emergency condition.

7600 designates an aircraft that has lost radio communications.

7777 designates military aircraft on intercept missions.

Hope this isn't too much overkill.

Mike G.

[gr31]

I believe the Squawk code is what ATC uses to identify your aircraft so they can track it.

Right, the "code" (number) entered into the transponder to identify your aircraft. For VFR flights not under ATC it's 1200.

[Sobby]

Right ok thanks

Is it possible to put in 7700 into the transformer and get a reply?

[Staiduk]

Right ok thanks

Is it possible to put in 7700 into the transformer and get a reply?

No; not with M$. Squawk codes are just window dressing in FS2004; their only occurrence is when ATC tells you to set them. Otherwise; the transponder is useless.

[garymbuska]

I do not think that FS recognizes emergancy sitations.
To my knowledge there is no way to convey an emergency situation to ATC. If flying IFR about all you can do is cancel ifr than check for airports in the area and make a landing but even if you have a engine fire do not expect the fire trucks to great you on the runway.
Maybe in the future if we are lucky.

[Sobby]

That ve great in FS10

[MattNW]

I do not think that FS recognizes emergancy sitations.
To my knowledge there is no way to convey an emergency situation to ATC. If flying IFR about all you can do is cancel ifr than check for airports in the area and make a landing but even if you have a engine fire do not expect the fire trucks to great you on the runway.
Maybe in the future if we are lucky.

I'd even settle for declaring an emergency and getting immediate landing clearance. That wouldn't be too hard to impliment. Just set your transponder to 7700, select "Inflight Emergency" on the ATC Menu and ATC will then tell all other traffic to "Go Around" until you are clear of the runway.

[Staiduk]

I'd even settle for declaring an emergency and getting immediate landing clearance. That wouldn't be too hard to impliment. Just set your transponder to 7700, select "Inflight Emergency" on the ATC Menu and ATC will then tell all other traffic to "Go Around" until you are clear of the runway.

...or do what they did in Flight Unlimited: set 121.5; which brings up the emergency transmission menu. It'd be easy enough; I think.

[garymbuska]

I quite agree That is one I guess M$ overlooked for fs9.
The other thing I have noticed is ATC does not warn you if go above 250 KTS below 10,000 feet FS2002 would do this I wonder why they did not incorparate it in FS2004
But I guess they have to save something for the future.

[Skittles]

I've been a Naval AntiSurface/AntiSubsurface Tactical Air Controller for 6 years onboard the USS Carl Vinson with over 2000 hours of control time. I've controlled F/A-18's, F-14's, S-3's,  P-3's and even attempted controlling an E-2 once (I was really tired). The joke there is E-2's are basically flying control towers.

I'd like to correct Staiduk. The different codes are not frequencies. All transponders, including military, work on the same frequency.  The code is transmitted by pulses of the signal.

I've never heard of the 7777 transponder code for military aircraft on intercept missions. This could be for Air Force or another branch aircraft, but the Navy, does not use it.

There is little trick to 7600. Yes it means radio failure, but there are two kinds of failures. Receive and transmit. Normally an aircraft has a controller, but not always. So if an aircraft determines he can no longer receive comms, a right-hand triangle is flown. 30 second legs for jets and 2 min legs for props. If it is a Tx or Tx and Rx, then a left-hand triangle is flown.

[Staiduk]

Lazy typing... I stand corrected.

[Fozzer]

...or do what they did in Flight Unlimited: set 121.5; which brings up the emergency transmission menu. It'd be easy enough; I think.

...three cheers for good-old Looking Glass Studio's, "Flight Unlimited II"... ...!
Probably the program that got us steered into Microsoft Flight Sims... ...!

Cheers all... ...!

Paul...chuffing around the countryside, Cessna 152, on 1200, VFR...1500 feet... ...!
LOL...!