What's a squawk code?

Question

I've heard it many times in aviation and wondered what it is, and whether it stands for anything?

Answer 1

"Squawk" is derived from the 'Identification Friend or Foe' (IFF) days. This was a transponder carried on board aircraft which transmitted a certain fixed frequency when requested by the radar controllers. If the frequency matched, the aircraft was allowed to continue otherwise it was asked to identify itself or forced to turn back or to land immediately.



The squawk derived its name from the parrot, the controllers asking if the pilot carried a 'parrot' on board or not. Mostly it was used in the defence aviation during the early days.

Answer 2

It's a transponder code used by Air Traffic Control to identify and track aircraft on radar. On the ground when a pilot gets a clearance for the flight, a four digit code is issued and entered on the transponder. There are 4096 possible number combinations. This is because only the numbers 0 through 7 are used.



Example: You are cleared to the Houston-Hobby airport via the Newhall Six departure, Palmdale transition, Twentynine Palms then as filed, Climb and maintain 7000, expect Flight Level 410 ten minutes after departure, departure frequency will be 124.6, squawk 4137.



That was for an IFR flight. A VFR flight would use a 1200 code unless using radar services. Squawk VFR means use code 1200. Emergency codes are 7700: General Emergency; 7600: Lost Communications; 7500: Unlawful Interference (Hijack). Other codes include 2000 for the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, and 2100 approaching Bermuda overwater.

Answer 3

Most airplanes are equipped with a device called a transponder, which responds to the radar sweep by sending out digital codes. In the most common mode, these include a code for the altitude the aircraft is flying and a 4-digit code that is entered by the pilot.



Airplanes that do not have transponders operate under stiff limitations in controlled airspace.



Air Traffic Control keeps track of airplanes by asking the pilot to enter a specific arbitrary code. For example, if an approach controller tells you "Cessna Umptey-4-7-Charlie, squawk zero-fower-fower-six," it means you are to enter 0-4-4-6 on the transponder code dials.



Then the controllers get a little cluster of information about your flight that follows you around the screen, instead of just a blip (bright dot) on the radar.



There are several standard codes for various situations. For example, all VFR flights not otherwise assigned squawk 1-2-0-0, which some pilots call "squawking a dozen." And others.



Try an Internet search on "transponder code."

Answer 4

When an aircraft flies into a particular piece of airspace, the air traffic controller will ask the pilot to squawk a certain code on his transponder, this then identifies that aircraft and it will be assigned a particular height and heading which the controller sets into his computer. If the pilot does not set this code the aircraft will be just a blip on the radar. The controller does not know how big this craft is or what type it is and what priority to assign it if it wants to land. If the aircraft veers of course or changes height the controller is squawked alerting him of this deviation so he can correct the aircraft thus saving a collision. It also shows the controller where this particular craft is visually on radar in the airspace he controls.

Answer 5

The squawk code is the 4 digit number pilots enter into their ATC transponders so ATC can distinguish their aircraft on their radar screen. The ATC transponder sends altitude , flight # and other information to a receiver on the ground, ATC's computers put all this information together and display it on the controllers screens.

Answer 6

well its an id code and there are a few codes that stand for a few things.



1200 VFR visual flight rules operation

75** Hijack

76** two way radio failure

77** emergency

i can't tell you what the full codes are but these are it

so there are 9999 possible codes, and if you are in class B airspace the control tower will give you a code

Answer 7

Radar transponder beacon code.

Answer 8

It is the signal the aircraft sends out so that a ground station know the designation of the aircraft.