"Peter Clark" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:28:24 GMT, "Mike" wrote:

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
news:TMOdnSYGZc1D0F3VnZ2dnUVZ_gadnZ2d@earthlink. com...
paul kgyy wrote:

Is it normal practice for a Mode S transponder to display the aircraft
tail number to ATC?



No.

It isn't displayed to controllers, but a ModeS transponder does transmit
its
serial number which can be read using tools not available to the
controller.
The serial number does translate to the N number so long as the
transponder
is correctly registered. As of now this technology hasn't been
implemented
to the controller, nor is the serial number recorded in the continuous
data
recording archive.

Doesn't the system process the flightid field? Or isn't that
transmitted?

I'm not sure what "system" or "field" you're referring. The computers at
the centers and tracons have no idea if the transponder is ModeS or not.
They only process the beacon code and display the ACID that's in the flight
plan.