"150flivver" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Aug 3, 6:06 pm, "Danny Deger" wrote:
"Newps" wrote in message

. ..



Danny Deger wrote:

I don't think any of the "Centers" have skin paint.

They all do. And thus they have weather.

Then you have operated in a different flight control system I have for
the
last 35 years. A friend of mine died because he lost his transponder and
Washington Center didn't have his skin paint.

Danny Deger

There could be several reasons why a skin paint is not displayed on a
radar scope. The fact that a particular radar does not pickup
enough energy from a primary return to display it does not mean that
it is incapable of displaying any primary returns. The reason we have
transponders is to make radar returns more powerful. Aside from a
return too weak to display, the radar operator has to configure his
radar to display primary returns or secondary returns or both. If the
radar operator filters out all but secondary returns (transponders)
then of course, no "skin paints" or weather will be displayed on his
scope.


My understanding is -- "Centers" do not have ANY capability for primary
radar. They are secondary only. Maybe I am mistaken, but I have been
flying for many years and have been told this by many people. This is why
"Centers" have, as I understand it, zero capability to help out with storms.

The factors you mention have a lot to do with why approach controls and a
radar equipped towers are very poor for weather avoidance. They have their
primary radar optimized for painting aircraft, not for painting weather.

I am not going to say I can't be wrong. If someone like a Center flight
controller pops in and says he has primary radar capability, I will stand
down. But I am an active pilot in Texas. My plan is to continue to think I
MIGHT get some storm information from approach control and I will NEVER get
storm information from a Center.

Danny Deger