Traffic page info

[sturs]

Out of interest, where does the information on the Traffic page, in the 'AIRCRAFT,OWNER' column, come from?  All I recall programming into my transponder was the hex code and the registration letters.  Is there a background database lookup going on?

Regards,

Stuart

[exfirepro]

Hi Stu,

At risk of reopening the can of worms about the ready availability of aircraft ownership info on the CAA's public website here, but I spoke to several people (including Lee) about this yesterday at the LAA rally.

Lists of data on aircraft are (I was amazed to see) readily available on several Internet sites, compiled by and for the use of the 'Plane Spotting' community amongst others. One of my contacts showed me several of these sites. An 'official' version allows NATS/ATC to determine aircraft Reg etc from the Hex code transmitted by Mode S transponders / ADSB. In a similar manner, one of these databases was incorporated some time back to allow PAW to indicate Aircraft Reg / Flight ID. In more recent versions, the use of the database has simply been extended to assist in establishing whether traffic sources are CAT or GA for system development, general interest and potential in-flight assessment - though the latter is of course not recommended unless by someone other than the PIC. The database is as you say 'looked up' by the software from your hex code.

To protect our privacy, the database used only displays the aircraft details for 'privately owned' aircraft and not the owner info.

Regards

Peter

[sturs]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for that. Very interesting. I was wondering why my a/c had been showing up without any type and owner info.  Presumably it doesn't feature on that particular database.

I was at the rally yesterday, but you chaps were so busy I decided not to join the throng around your stand.  I rather wish I had now, and saved you the trouble of a reply.  (And so early, too!). However it was good to see quite a few aircraft on the field were sporting PAW systems, and good to see that there was such a high level of interest.

Good luck with the rest of the rally, and thanks again for the reply.

Stu