Mode S code?

"William W. Plummer" wrote in message
news:3xhLc.132243$IQ4.127452@attbi_s02...
Ron Natalie wrote:
"Thomas Borchert" wrote in message
...

Ron,


Each aircraft registration has a mode S. It's
constant whether the N number changes


What's the difference between N number and aircraft registration in
the above quote?


You can change the N number. The Mode S is tied to the aircraft itself
(the
model and serial #).

So the Mode S number bound to the airframe. Is that the Airworthiness
Certificate? It's all sort of strange because you can replace your
transponder, a wing, radios, fuel tanks, the engine... just what is the
"aircraft"? One view is that it is the file card-size plate that
identifies the aircraft. But I thought that has the N-number on it.

Let me guess: the aircraft is the same as the N-number and that cannot
be changed. The Mode-S number is simply a reflection of the N-number.
Removing the transponder from a plane probably requires the technician
to zero the Mode-S number in the transponder. Installing a transponder
requires the tech to lookup the Mode-S number based on the N-number

Actually, one of the connectors on the rack into which the
transponder is installed has a set of contacts that are encoded
with the code for that aircraft. *Any* transponder plugged into
that position has the info for that specific airframe. Same kind
of technique is used for CVR, FDR and several other boxes.

Actually, one of the connectors on the rack into which the
transponder is installed has a set of contacts that are encoded
with the code for that aircraft. *Any* transponder plugged into
that position has the info for that specific airframe. Same kind
of technique is used for CVR, FDR and several other boxes.

I'm not talking about the physical location of the code.

I'm talking about the assignment. When your aircraft is registered
in the FAA database it gets a Mode S code (whether you have a Mode
S transponder or not). You can change the N numbers or the owners,
etc... but the Mode S assignment stays with that aircraft in the database.

"Ron Natalie" wrote in message
m...
Actually, one of the connectors on the rack into which the
transponder is installed has a set of contacts that are encoded
with the code for that aircraft. *Any* transponder plugged into
that position has the info for that specific airframe. Same kind
of technique is used for CVR, FDR and several other boxes.

I'm not talking about the physical location of the code.

I'm talking about the assignment. When your aircraft is registered
in the FAA database it gets a Mode S code (whether you have a Mode
S transponder or not). You can change the N numbers or the owners,
etc... but the Mode S assignment stays with that aircraft in the database.

I'd hate to see any kind of misunderstanding here but I still think
my response was perfectly valid for the previous three lines:
" Removing the transponder from a plane probably requires the technician
to zero the Mode-S number in the transponder. Installing a transponder
requires the tech to lookup the Mode-S number based on the N-number."

JK (one of those technicians, retired)

Depends on the transponder. The Garmin GTX-330, for example, is software
programmable and swapping out transponder requires keyboard entry of the
mode S address by the technician. Not to mention recertification by a
certificated repair station...

Mike


"Jim Knoyle" wrote in message
...

Actually, one of the connectors on the rack into which the
transponder is installed has a set of contacts that are encoded
with the code for that aircraft. *Any* transponder plugged into
that position has the info for that specific airframe. Same kind
of technique is used for CVR, FDR and several other boxes.

"Mike Ferrer" wrote in message
...
Depends on the transponder. The Garmin GTX-330, for example, is software
programmable and swapping out transponder requires keyboard entry of the
mode S address by the technician. Not to mention recertification by a
certificated repair station...

Mike

Thanks for the info. Sometimes I assume too much from
my experience limited to 727 ... 767 & DC-10.

JK

"Jim Knoyle" wrote in message
...

Actually, one of the connectors on the rack into which the
transponder is installed has a set of contacts that are encoded
with the code for that aircraft. *Any* transponder plugged into
that position has the info for that specific airframe. Same kind
of technique is used for CVR, FDR and several other boxes.