Radar Virtual wow

Mr CJ

Only logged into radar virtual for the first time I am amazed!
You can find out aircraft climb/decent rate, to and from info even the a/c squawk code, I am very suprised that this info is available in the public domain... what happened with the massive clamp down on air travel security?

I understand the system uses GNSS but how is it getting the a/c type, squak code etc? how is it linked and what is it linked to?

Is it only commercial aircraft or is it any a/c that files a flight plan?

Steyr

Hi, welcome to A&A, Before you post you should use the search function for the forum, there is already a big thread on this, il find it for you.:)

Steyr

OP see here: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055779110

And here: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055911009

Steyr

Mr CJ wrote: »

Is it only commercial aircraft or is it any a/c that files a flight plan?

All types file flight plans but you only really get Commercial Aircraft showing up on RadarVirtuel, you might see the odd US Mil charter using the callsign "RCH".

Mr CJ

thanks Steyr, usually I do look it up but not this time:eek:

Yeah so aircraft that does not file flight plans eg private flight etc may not be on it? But if I file a flight plan and fly to Waterford for example I could be on it?
Still amazed at this.. not so long ago even ATC had not got this service

Steyr

Mr CJ wrote: »

thanks Steyr, usually I do look it up but not this time:eek:

Yeah so aircraft that does not file flight plans eg private flight etc may not be on it? But if I file a flight plan and fly to Waterford for example I could be on it?
Still amazed at this.. not so long ago even ATC had not got this service

I dont believe GA Aircraft will show up. I think it just shows Commercial flights really.

Su Campu

It only shows aircraft that have transmitting Mode-S transponders, so some planes will not be visible, eg. Aer Arann, etc.

Captain Chaos

Steyr wrote: »

you might see the odd US Mil charter using the callsign "RCH".

I saw one a few months ago. A USAF Strategic Airlift Command B737/8 took off from Shannon at about 2:30am, flew over DUB and then flew heading 90 all the way across the UK and then turned down towards Belgium where I lost track of it. Fairly high airspeed the whole way too, more so than a typical civilian 737 flight.

Mr CJ

While watching RV can you press ctrl+r to speed things up??

Su Campu

Mr CJ wrote: »

While watching RV can you press ctrl+r to speed things up??

You can with this one, go back to any date and time and speed it up x100!

http://casper.frontier.nl/eidw/

Mr CJ

That is deadly... the next generation might have a fast forward from present.. few technical hurdles to overcome but ha

Andrew33

Mr CJ wrote: »

Only logged into radar virtual for the first time I am amazed!
You can find out aircraft climb/decent rate, to and from info even the a/c squak code, I am very suprised that this info is available in the public domain... what happened with the massive clamp down on air travel security?

I understand the system uses GNSS but how is it getting the a/c type, squak code etc? how is it linked and what is it linked to?

Is it only commercial aircraft or is it any a/c that files a flight plan?

I've been spottin' for 25 yrs and don't know what an aircrafts squak means.:o

Mr CJ

Sorry for the mis-spelling Squawk code, is a code given to the pilot by ATC so the a/c can be identified by ATC... usually given to a/c that files a flight plan... I am sure you know this already ha

A320

Its The 4 number code ATC give pilots to put into their transponder so when they activate it at take off they'l show up on the ATC radar,on commercial aircraft its tied in with the Traffic Collision Avoidance System(TCAS)

Andrew33

Mr CJ wrote: »

Sorry for the mis-spelling Squawk code, is a code given to the pilot by ATC so the a/c can be identified by ATC... usually given to a/c that files a flight plan... I am sure you know this already ha

Sh1t no! I wasn't havin a go at you! I genuinely didn't know what a squak meant! I still can't figure out what's being said on a scanner.

Mr CJ

Andrew33 wrote: »

Sh1t no! I wasn't havin a go at you! I genuinely didn't know what a squak meant! I still can't figure out what's being said on a scanner.

Me to and im a pilot , ah no when you learn the lingo and after a good bit of radio work you get more familiar with it.

ATC will give the 4 digit code to the pilot, the exception to this are the designated codes for VFR flying 7000 and emergency codes 7500, 7600 etc

St. Leibowitz

Radarvirtuel.com, and quite a few other sites which display this type of information depend on users who have SBS-1 or other types of "virtual radar" boxes providing information from their boxes to a central server across the Internet. This information is then collated and displayed for all to see.

The basis of the system is that each aircraft flying in European airspace which intend to fly IFR as a GAT flight is now mandated to carry a Mode-S transponder, and the crew is required to configure and operate the transponder correctly. There are certain exceptions and exemptions, mainly for state/military aircraft, but also for smaller regionals flying turboprops.

Each aircraft is assigned a unique hexadecimal identity code which is programmed into that aircrafts transponder. It is that code which is cross referenced on a lookup before the aircraft type and operator is displayed on the screen. As these lookup tables are maintained by spotters groups, errors are possible, and if an aircraft has recently changed operators the old operator may be displayed, but the guys are usually on the ball and updates are not far behind reality.

The way the system works is that during preflight, the crew update the transponder with the flight number/callsign as part of the preflight checklist. When the transponder is in Mode-S mode, once it is interrogated by a SSR (secondary surveillance radar) signal, it will respond with a burst broadcast of various parameters ... hex code, on ground/airborne, callsign, GPS latitude, GPS longitude, altitude, heading, groundspeed, vertical speed, altitude (25ft increments/decrements) and sqawk code. There are other parameters in the response but the above are what are most interesting to us. The virtual radar boxes receive these responses and decode them. They can be configured to send this to a server where the lookups are done to provide aircraft type (using the hex code) and route information (using the callsign). The information is then displayed, and with the GPS, track and altitude known, in the correct location. Military and State aircraft usually suppress the positional data, so they will not show up on the map. However, they will show up on the list of aircraft on the box, with their callsign, aircraft type (after lookup), heading and altitude. Just not where they are.

Problems with the Internet sites ?? Well, firstly, the system only broadcasts in response to an interrogation from an SSR, so if there is no SSR in range, the system is quiet. So if you were on a boat out at sea, out of radar range, even though you could see aircraft overhead, the box wouldn't report them. Likewise, if there is no user in an area, there will be holes in the coverage. In reality, over Europe, there is constant SSR coverage, and for an aircraft at 30,000 feet, they can be "seen" for about 250 miles, so there won't be too many holes. This can be seen where aircraft fly out over the North Sea from the UK, or into the Bay of Biscay from Spain and disappear, only to reappear later on once a box is in range.

All in all, quite a comprehensive system, but there is alot more up there than what you see on the Internet, and there's alot of work going on behind the scenes to get it there.

Mr CJ

Thanks for that Leibowitz it is some system, one thing I noticed on it not sure if it is correct but I see alot of a/c breaking the speed limit? I thought max speed below 10000ft is 250kts?

Su Campu

That's the rule, but ATC can lift this restriction if they wish, so you'll often hear them say "no speed restriction", "high speed approved" or just "free speed" to arriving and departing traffic.

De_man

Andrew33 wrote: »

I've been spottin' for 25 yrs and don't know what an aircrafts squak means.:o

recommend graham duke "air traffic control" buy it online for about a fiver

EchoIndia

Captain Chaos wrote: »

I saw one a few months ago. A USAF Strategic Airlift Command B737/8 took off from Shannon at about 2:30am, flew over DUB and then flew heading 90 all the way across the UK and then turned down towards Belgium where I lost track of it. Fairly high airspeed the whole way too, more so than a typical civilian 737 flight.

That would have been a civilian aircraft, probably of Miami Air, and the relevant USAF Command is Air Mobility Command (standard callsign is "Reach"/RCH). I can't see any reason why it would have cruised at a speed any different to other 737s.