Bookworm,
>5) What is the FAA policy on aircraft equipage with Mode S? Is it required on aircraft over a certain size, or Part 121/135 or something else? What's the plan for the future?
You might ask Scott Voigt (
[email protected] he also participates in the ATC conference) this question as he is more knowledgeable than I am on Mode S and the FAR's.
>6) What are the consequences of the code shortage? Does it delay flights? Do you limit capacity to cope with the extra workload of having to use these local codes? What's the "cost" of the problem?
Running out of transponder codes, is an indication that we are probably busier than one arm paper hangers, and that there are probably delays being encountered within the system, these delays could be a result of weather, equipment failures, or heavy traffic.
When we run out of transponder codes we usually see messages from the Flow Control desk asking that facilities not enter VFR flight plans into the NAS.
As for extra workload of entering local codes it takes a controller less than a minute to enter a local code via the FIDO. Again Scott works at a much busier facility than I do so he may be able to share how this problem affects our larger facilities.
Mike
NATCA Local FWA