V airways and hot MOAs

[Richard]

The F-18s were out playing again today. One of the several MOAs here is used for dogfighting or whatever it's called these days. Their floor is 15,000, sometimes I see them, most often I don't. I got to thinking, since a couple V airways converge here with the MOA I wonder what the 121 carriers see on their radar when the MOA is in use.

Do the 121 guys track the fighters, playing with the tilt as the fighters rocket through the skies?

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

With the tcas in normal mode you only see I think, a/c within 2000' of your altitude.
I have flown over hot moas and even in 'below' mode I have never seen a furball on the screen.

 

[Ed Guthrie]

I wonder what the 121 carriers see on their radar when the MOA is in use.

Do the 121 guys track the fighters, playing with the tilt as the fighters rocket through the skies?

Weather radar does not recognize aircraft.

 

[gismo]

The F-18s were out playing again today. One of the several MOAs here is used for dogfighting or whatever it's called these days. Their floor is 15,000, sometimes I see them, most often I don't. I got to thinking, since a couple V airways converge here with the MOA I wonder what the 121 carriers see on their radar when the MOA is in use.

Do the 121 guys track the fighters, playing with the tilt as the fighters rocket through the skies?

Unless they are flying something like the Spaceship Enterprise, airborne weather radar won't see them at all.

 

[Richard]

Weather radar does not recognize aircraft.

Well then, what the heck was I thinking?

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Well then, what the heck was I thinking?

I figured tcas, sorry.

 

[Richard]

I figured tcas, sorry.

No, no, I'm the one who should be sorry. I confused everyone when I wrote "radar" when I was thinking TCAS. But it turns out TCAS is no good either. So what do those boys up there in the front office do for grins during the en route jaunts? I would think they'd want to watch and listen in on those fighter jocks. That's what I get for thinking, eh?

Maybe if the fighter pilot had a full bladder he'd show up on Wx radar?

 

[mikea]

No, no, I'm the one who should be sorry. I confused everyone when I wrote "radar" when I was thinking TCAS. But it turns out TCAS is no good either. So what do those boys up there in the front office do for grins during the en route jaunts?

According to Joe d'Eon they talk to each other on 123.45 on overseas runs where they're out of US Airspace.

Listen to Come Fly With Me #3:
http://joepodcaster.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=5120

 

[poadeleted20]

According to Joe d'Eon they talk to each other on 123.45 on overseas runs where they're out of US Airspace.

Note that while 123.45 is designated for interaircraft communication in the Oceanic spaces (often used by light plane ferry pilots to talk to high level jets to get relay to Oceanic Control), it is assigned to Boeing, Lockheed, and others for flight test operations in the continental US -- don't be using it in the CONUS for yakking or you could be increasing the risk level in someone's flight test operations.