Stealth bird

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
hlink.net...

"Orval Fairbairn" wrote in message

news

There is still a fairly large RCS, even on a glass bird -- engine,
pilot, electronics, wiring, antennae, landing gear, etc.


Not on ATC radar there ain't.


Funny.. local ATC calls glider traffic to the inbound airliners.. we (the
gliders) are not talking to ATC.. but they can see our glass (and metal)
birds just fine.. they just don't know our altitude.. LAS TRACON

BT

"Bob Noel" wrote in message
...
In article , Big John
wrote:

With that background, what does FAA use today? If they do not use
'skin paint' why can't the 'glass' birds with a wooden prop, turn off
their transponder and fly through all the restricted areas unseen?

at least some restricted areas augment the FAA radars with
primary radars that are better suited to the air defense role
than the FAA radars.

--
Bob Noel

They do?? mmmmmm

BT

"BTIZ" wrote in message
news:vVfxb.7883$ML6.4790@fed1read01...

Funny.. local ATC calls glider traffic to the inbound airliners.. we (the
gliders) are not talking to ATC.. but they can see our glass (and metal)
birds just fine.. they just don't know our altitude.. LAS TRACON


Radar can be fickle.

With that background, what does FAA use today? If they do not use
'skin paint' why can't the 'glass' birds with a wooden prop, turn off
their transponder and fly through all the restricted areas unseen?

I live in a Class D airspace. I wanted to see my house a bit closer
than 2600 ft, so I got on the handheld and asked for permission to
come down below pattern altitude. Duly granted. Then it transpired
that the controller couldn't see me. I told him my location, altitude,
and that I was circling. He told me to report at 800 feet, which I
did. But he didn't replied, and I'm not sure that he actually saw me
on the radar at any time.

J-3 Cub with metal prop.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put CUB in subject line)

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

I would think that just as Stealth technology has advanced over the years,
that so to has radar technology advanced. So, where in the past radar could
get a return from something size "X" now it should be able to capture and
enhance the same return from something much smaller.

This is certainly true. Both the Horten Ho-229 and the Northrop YB-49
proved to be invisible to 1940s radar. I doubt they would be today.

Of course as greedy American corporations keep out-sourcing engineering jobs
to India and China we can soon expect those countries to start making
significant gains in military technology at our expense.

Yes, well, I suppose we could close our borders to all trade and
re-live the 1930s. Oh, but dang it! In the 1930s it was the European
countries that made all the significant gains in military technology,
wasn't it?

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put CUB in subject line)

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

I live in a Class D airspace.

Class D? Radar?

"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...

I live in a Class D airspace. I wanted to see my house a bit closer
than 2600 ft, so I got on the handheld and asked for permission to
come down below pattern altitude. Duly granted. Then it transpired
that the controller couldn't see me. I told him my location, altitude,
and that I was circling. He told me to report at 800 feet, which I
did. But he didn't replied, and I'm not sure that he actually saw me
on the radar at any time.


He may not have radar at all.

"John Harlow" wrote in message
...

Class D? Radar?


Some have their own, some have a scope driven by their parent TRACON, some
have none.

Steven

Oops. Showing my age. In my day all we had was 'pulse' radar. They now
have 'doppler' which will show the rain drops G

Big John

On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 04:21:26 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote:


"Big John" wrote in message
.. .

The only thing that reflects radar is metal or things (like paint)
that have metal in them.


Then how does weather radar work?

BTIZ

Was in a flight of two P-51's over southern Japan when ground control
asked us if we had enough fuel to intercept an unknown target?

Went 'buster' and established a rate of closure, at about three miles
distance, the target accelerated away from us and went off GCI scope.
We didn't see anything visually.

Geese?
Flying saucer?
?????????????

Came back to cruise power and after RTB debriefed. Was reported up
channels as 'Flying Saucer' even though no visual.

Big John.

On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 05:29:19 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote:


"BTIZ" wrote in message
news:vVfxb.7883$ML6.4790@fed1read01...

Funny.. local ATC calls glider traffic to the inbound airliners.. we (the
gliders) are not talking to ATC.. but they can see our glass (and metal)
birds just fine.. they just don't know our altitude.. LAS TRACON


Radar can be fickle.