NTSB report: Florida crash due to BAD TRANSPONDER!

mikea

mikea

Touchdown! Greaser!
Gone West
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iWin
DavidWhite said:
I fear the day my transponder fails, and pray to Odin it never happens.
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It's happened to me before. It's frightening, but you'll survive.
 
Jeez we spent all this time worrying about slips and skids and it turns out that transponders cause spins!
 
I forgot to turn my transponder on twice. I feel lucky to be alive!!
 
Just remember to squawk 7400 to indicate transponder failure, and you'll be okay.
 
I once had a controller at a Class D ask me to squawk some code while I was flying a 1945 Cub. I was soooo tempted to repeat the numbers in a Donald Duck voice... but I resisted.

-Rich
 
I took off once without resetting to 1200, was still on the previous code. I'm amazed it lifted off.
 
What is a transonder? Is that the gizmo that transports treckies into the warp zone! :confused::confused::confused:










;)
 
RJM62 said:
I once had a controller at a Class D ask me to squawk some code while I was flying a 1945 Cub. I was soooo tempted to repeat the numbers in a Donald Duck voice... but I resisted.
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How dare a controller respond to a radio call and primary target with "...squawk XXXX..." WTF was he or she thinking? Idiots!

From the Pilot/Controller Glossary (P/CG):

​
SQUAWK (Mode, Code, Function)- Activate specific modes/codes/functions on the aircraft transponder; e.g., "Squawk three/alpha, two one zero five, low.

Idiots! This whole radar thing is out of hand!
 
Most of he things on an airplane I can talk about with comprehension to most people. Folks know what a wing is, what a propellor does. Most people even know about things like elevators and ailerons.

Nobody but nobody knows what a transponder is. Reporter probably put it in because it sounded technical and important. I can barely tell folks what a transponder does.
 
ZOMG!

If the transponder fails, WHO IS FLYING THE AIRPLANE??!1!
 
RJM62 said:
I once had a controller at a Class D ask me to squawk some code while I was flying a 1945 Cub. I was soooo tempted to repeat the numbers in a Donald Duck voice... but I resisted.

-Rich
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In the Luscombe, on my initial call-up to Class Delta, I add "negative electric, negative transponder." Makes it easy all around.
 
"They were coming to Florida to train for a seaplane rating in Altamonte Springs."

Note to self. Learn how to fly airplane before starting on long cross-country.
 
steingar said:
Most of he things on an airplane I can talk about with comprehension to most people. Folks know what a wing is, what a propellor does. Most people even know about things like elevators and ailerons.

Nobody but nobody knows what a transponder is. Reporter probably put it in because it sounded technical and important. I can barely tell folks what a transponder does.
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I know all sea stories start out with, "Now this is the truth", (OK so it is: This is no s**t), but honestly, at a open house at CGAS Barbers Point a crewmember was asked "What is that for?" by a citizen pointing to the elevator on our 130, he said, "It's the elevator ma'am" The lady pointed to our deployed ramp and said, "Can't you just walk up that thing??" :lol:
 
alfadog said:
In the Luscombe, on my initial call-up to Class Delta, I add "negative electric, negative transponder." Makes it easy all around.
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...and I'm talking to you by screaming out static sparks with my foot.
 
mikea said:
...and I'm talking to you by screaming out static sparks with my foot.
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:D There is a (crappy) battery-powered radio in the airplane and I carry a hand-held as back-up.
 
Threefingeredjack said:
I know all sea stories start out with, "Now this is the truth", (OK so it is: This is no s**t), but honestly, at a open house at CGAS Barbers Point a crewmember was asked "What is that for?" by a citizen pointing to the elevator on our 130, he said, "It's the elevator ma'am" The lady pointed to our deployed ramp and said, "Can't you just walk up that thing??" :lol:
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Yeah, I know what you mean, but you can just say "that's what makes the airplane go up." It works, I've done it. Try, just try to explain what a transponder does without a fairly long technical explanation.
 
steingar said:
Yeah, I know what you mean, but you can just say "that's what makes the airplane go up." It works, I've done it. Try, just try to explain what a transponder does without a fairly long technical explanation.
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Sends your altitude and a unique code that identifies your aircraft to the ground radar so that it shows up on the controller's screen in the tower?
 
alfadog said:
Sends your altitude and a unique code that identifies your aircraft to the ground radar so that it shows up on the controller's screen in the tower?
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"Can't he just see the airplane on his radar?" is the invariable response. "I thought this field didn't have a tower?" sometimes.
 
steingar said:
Most of he things on an airplane I can talk about with comprehension to most people. Folks know what a wing is, what a propellor does. Most people even know about things like elevators and ailerons.

Nobody but nobody knows what a transponder is. Reporter probably put it in because it sounded technical and important. I can barely tell folks what a transponder does.
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The transponder is what lets ATC control the plane; duh.
 
steingar said:
Yeah, I know what you mean, but you can just say "that's what makes the airplane go up." It works, I've done it. Try, just try to explain what a transponder does without a fairly long technical explanation.
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It tells ATC who I am from the other guys on their radar.
 
steingar said:
"Can't he just see the airplane on his radar?" is the invariable response. "I thought this field didn't have a tower?" sometimes.
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"altitude and a unique code that identifies your aircraft"
 
steingar said:
Try, just try to explain what a transponder does without a fairly long technical explanation.
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It's a radio that announces your presence so that an authority can identify you and charge you automatically, when you travel by.

That's today, for collecting tolls from vehicles on roads. And tomorrow, for collecting user fees from planes.
 
NoHeat said:
It's a radio that announces your presence so that an authority can identify you and charge you automatically, when you travel by.

That's today, for collecting tolls from vehicles on roads. And tomorrow, for collecting user fees from planes.
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You are right in that the general public has a much better idea of what a transponder is than they did 10 - 20 years ago. Here is FL, many of us have a SunPass stuck to our windshield and if we don't we certainly know what one is because every toll plaza has SunPass Only lanes.
 
NoHeat said:
It's a radio that announces your presence so that an authority can identify you and charge you automatically, when you travel by.

That's today, for collecting tolls from vehicles on roads. And tomorrow, for collecting user fees from planes.
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Good point, just call it an airplane EZpass
 
Skylane81E said:
Good point, just call it an airplane EZpass
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If it hurts me as much as my Sun Pass, I'll be happy with it. You should see what a driving transponder in Singapore bills...:eek: They charge you a couple bucks every time you charge a zone line, and Singapore ain't that big, you cross them frequently. Parking also bills through the transponder so the monthly fees can be hefty. No scooters there either, at least not like the rest of Asia, or tuc-tucs. They're handy items but very dangerous. Always carry some aluminum foil or a shielded bag to put them in.
 
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