Malaysia Flight 370
Out of context: Reply #38
- Started
- Last post
- 390 Responses
- chrisRG0
There’s No Radar Tracking Airliners Over the Ocean
It is a misconception that airline pilots are in constant communication with air traffic control, or that planes are constantly watched on radar. Once a plane is more than 100 or 150 miles from shore, radar no longer works. It simply doesn’t have the range. (The specific distance from shore varies with the type of radar, the weather, and other factors.) At that point, civilian aircraft communicate largely by high-frequency radio. The flight crew checks in at fixed “reporting points” along the way, providing the plane’s position, air speed, and altitude. It isn’t uncommon to maintain radio silence between reporting points because cruising at 35,000 feet is typically uneventful. Some aircraft communication systems don’t require pilots call in; flight management computers transmit the info via satellite link.
- I get that there is no radar on planes, but don't you think they could upgrade to better communications?capn_ron
- think space travel, how do they stay in communication, or sonar, how do magnets work? answer me.capn_ron
- I agree, and I was surprised too, it's answered in the article, it's super expensivechrisRG
- Single engine pilot here....There are so many errors here...wired needs a fact checker.marychain
- so GPS is too expensive on a plane?BabySnakes