The Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System

This paper outlines the major advantages and limitations of the Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System under evaluation at the Civil Aeronautics Administration Technical Development Center. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of compatibility, the system traffic capacity problems, and the need for an operational doctrine to restrict the use of interrogators. System coverage, ground antenna, reply-code garbling, and reflection problems also are discussed. The paper points out specific applications of the beacon system, including its ability to improve the reliability of aircraft position information, to provide identity for specific aircraft targets in a traffic situation, and to furnish the information required for a filtered air traffic control display with a very rapid and flexible cross-reference between aircraft identification, plan position, and altitude.