My guess is that his transponder was weak, because normally one sees traffic on TCAS from several miles away.
The controller said he had absolutely nothing on radar on that track, apart from me.
Looks consistent with the ATC unit having a secondary radar only, no primary. I wonder if there’s any official information as to which LARS zones have primary radar coverage and which have secondary only.
Looks consistent with the ATC unit having a secondary radar only, no primary.
My understanding is that UK ATC is not allowed to offer a “Traffic Service” (with no restrictions stated), that involves a target which they are not talking to, unless they have both primary and secondary contact.
Brize East Midlands and Farnborough have reported primary only contacts to me several times.
As to why you have been “dropped”…just an idea: maybe they recognised the callsign?
Now this is not intended to tease you, but a serious thought. Years ago, the editor-in-chief of a german pilot magazine (which, at the time, was known for its “distinct” writing) frequently got some “special treatment” by german ATC…
So maybe when you called in they thought, “oh well…” but when you started calling out traffic to them, it came across as “lecturing” and they thought “OK, fine, do your own thing then”. More probably though, it could be that they do indeed have a policy to the effect that once a TS aircraft declares to be TCAS equipped, and their workload is high_, they will focus on other participating traffic. Actually makes sense to me as long as they are running at the limits of their capacity. What’s even more probable though, is that their policy is that when an aircraft calls out a Mode-C transmitting traffic which they were not able to see, they have to desume that their radar is not able to pick up traffic reliably in that area (at that altitude) and that therefore they have to make you aware. After all, they didn’t really drop you; a limited TS is still a TS, but a more limited one than a “normal” TS.
Before they downgraded you, did they make any useful traffic calls?
Before they downgraded you, did they make any useful traffic calls?
They passed me traffic before the downgrade and (on the outbound flight) after the downgrade.
I didn’t get any after the downgrade on the return flight, but one rarely gets traffic info on a Basic service.
As to why you have been “dropped”…just an idea: maybe they recognised the callsign? Now this is not intended to tease you, but a serious thought. Years ago, the editor-in-chief of a german pilot magazine (which, at the time, was known for its “distinct” writing) frequently got some “special treatment” by german ATC…
It’s possible but would be very surprising. I do know a lot of UK ATC read my website (many they have told me so and even sometimes on the air) and probably a lot of them read EuroGA, but I don’t slag off UK ATC anywhere. I think I always comment on them positively. There are 1 or 2 mods on other pilot sites who are ATCOs and who probably don’t like me but I happen to know where they work. Also they can’t be sure it is me in the plane. Anyway I think they are too professional to do stunts like that. Tower controllers have much more leeway for that kind of stuff and there is a widely known story about a woman ATCO who after getting her advances rejected by some pilots going into “her” airport started to put them into the hold when inbound. I have heard tower controllers (ATCOs) making various comments to various “known suspect” locals along the lines of “we know what you are about to do so please don’t do it again”.
What’s even more probable though, is that their policy is that when an aircraft calls out a Mode-C transmitting traffic which they were not able to see, they have to desume that their radar is not able to pick up traffic reliably in that area (at that altitude) and that therefore they have to make you aware
That is my take on it, but it’s interesting all the same. If Farnborough really didn’t see that plane, they need to get some new kit. I hope the USSR isn’t reading this, because the invasion route would be pretty obvious (MID WOD WCO and you are in Central London).
I cant really see ATC not giving someone a good service or downgrading them because of a call sign. I use Farnborough on almost all flights I do, and when you hear of the appaling R/T, pilots for some reason going off frequency without requesting a frequency change, and sometimes 2 minute waits to get a word in edgeways – I would give them medals for having more patience than a proverbial Saint.
But I do find the point about ATC downgrading a service to limited radar coverage either due to a) the controller not seeing the reported aircraft from the pilot and thinking his radar isnt feed working particuarly well b) downgrading on the thought ‘well your radar is obviously better than ours’. Either in a general situation might well be true, and while it’s not official ATC lingo to give this information out on air and acknowledging any ‘isssues’, you wonder if the response is just to downgrade and thats it. You would expect a reason but I guess they dont have to give it.
