Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigtime
Transponders get turned to the "off" position or "standby" when the aircraft is not on the active runway. This keeps the radar clutter to a minimum for the tower and arrival/departure controllers (and probably some other reasons too).
It was only light aircraft that I flew but here was the procedure we followed with the transponder:
-fire up the engine
-once the electronics were fired up we'd move the transponder to the "standby" position
-call up ATC and get your unique 4 digit transponder code and input it into the transponder
-only once pulling onto the active runway for takeoff the transponder would be moved into the "on" position
Upon landing once we pulled off the runway you'd switch it to "standby" again.
I did fly one plane that had an auto setting for the transponder, and upon lifting off it would automatically switch itself on. But you could still turn it off if you wished.
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After 9-11 I said these transponders should not be able to be turned off till the aircraft is on the ground, surely the technoligy exists to make that happen.