What "Slant Code" Do I Use Now?

[MaydayMayday]

The last time I flew a general aviation airplane I would check with ATC as a "Slant Golf" because I had a transponder with mode A and a GPS system.

Now that my airplane has a completely new avionics system I might need to call myself something different...but what? The ICAO Surveillance/ADS Code Explanations have a whole alphabet of possibilities...

The airplane has a GTN, Dynon transponder, and ADS-B so I presume there is a new slant code for this setup?

Also, with ADS-B and the new transponder this might change...in the past when checking in with ATCI had to say what location and altitude I was at...however ADS-B and the new transponder is supposed to show all of that stuff on the ATC screen anyway so do I just check in with registration number and the ADS-B slant code?

Thanks

 

[swamif16rv7]

There is a discussion of ICAO codes in the pilot guide. With the setup you listed you should still be a /G

 

[MaydayMayday]

> There is a discussion of ICAO codes in the pilot guide. With the setup you listed you should still be a /G

That is actually the reason for the question.

The Pilot User Guide on page 6-5 states the following:

--------------------------------------COPY-----------------------------------------
ICAO Flight Plans
If your aircraft is equipped with a Dynon Mode-S transponder, a certified GPS navigator or SVGPS-2020, the appropriate ICAO Surveillance Equipment Code is "EB1". The E adds ADS-B
credit, and the B1 indicates that you are 1090 OUT.
If you do not have a certified GPS navigator on board, but do have a Dynon Mode-S
transponder, the appropriate ICAO Surveillance Equipment Code is "S."

FAA Flight Plans
If your aircraft is equipped with a Dynon Mode-S transponder and an IFR certified GPS
navigator, you may file /G, which indicates that you have at least a Mode C transponder and
RNAV capability with GNSS (GPS).
If your aircraft does not have an IFR certified GPS navigator, but you do have a Dynon Mode-S
transponder, you should file /U to indicate you have at least a Mode C transponder.
-------------------------------------END COPY----------------------------------
So nowadays we all pretty much file flight plans using the ICAO format sowhen I file a flight plan on ForeFlight I would file using the "Reg #/ EB1" Got it...

When I am flying around in the US and I check in for the first time with ATC would I call in with my registration number and add the "/G" like i did 10 years ago or do I call in with "Registration # and /EB1"?

Also when checking in with this new fangled stuff do I need to bother with telling them my location and altitude or can I just check in with my registration number and then the ATC person will type in my registration number and automatically find me on the screen and see my location and altitude (to save on frequency congestion)?

 

[swatson999]

I still check in the same way, as well..."Good morning, Center, RV 12345 with you level niner thousand five hundred" or what have you. I've never heard anyone, either on initial call-up or when handed off, use any of the new-fangled codes. I don't usually file flight plans since I can get flight following pretty much anywhere I'm going in my part of the country, but if I did, guess I'd use the /EB1 suffix.

What the AIM say to do? I haven't looked since the 2020 mandate took effect...

 

[skysailor]

You do not need to inform ATC of your code verbally during routine frequency changes. Any flight plan you file will have the codes and they have access to that. If you did not file before takeoff but decide to do so airborne (due to weather change not forecast etc.) they will want you to file with Flight Service on another radio if possible. Flight Service will want the codes. If you end up filing with ATC, they will ask at that time.

 

[kellym]

You do not need to inform ATC of your code verbally during routine frequency changes. Any flight plan you file will have the codes and they have access to that. If you did not file before takeoff but decide to do so airborne (due to weather change not forecast etc.) they will want you to file with Flight Service on another radio if possible. Flight Service will want the codes. If you end up filing with ATC, they will ask at that time.

ATC is unlikely to care about your ADS-B capability, much less which frequency. They care about your navigation capability, so /G works fine.
In a few areas they may have coverage below radar with ADS-B, and if it matters they will ask, and you just answer in the affirmative.
For now, they are still somewhat in transition, so the usual call with location and altitude lets them know where to look, and whether you are even in their sector, or to give you freq for different sector.

 

[MaydayMayday]

Sorry I was unclear with my question...

When I said "initial contact" I was referring to the scenario where I have not already had some kind of interaction with ATC that day like when making the very first call I am asking "XYZ center" for VFR flight following, when airborne and calling to pick up an IFR clearance, and/or when flying VFR when I make the first call to an approach controller for clearance into Class B.

I am old enough to remember checking in with ATC with the speech...

"Oakland Center N123XX is a Cessna 172 Slant Golf at 9500 10 miles west of ABC VOR request flight following destination KXYZ"

Yep...I remember it like it was just yesterday...because...well I guess it was just yesterday...and it still like that today...

You would think that...IF...tomorrow would ever come with this new fangled stuff we could just check in with...

"N123XX request flight following destination KXYZ"

ATC> tap...tap...tap "N123XX Oakland Center radar contact maintain VFR advise of any altitude change"


Better yet...

tap...tap...send

bling...read message...tap "acknowledge"...

blissful silence for an hour...

bling...read message...tap "looking" ...tap "in sight"

blissful silence for an hour...

tap "cancel ATC connection"

bling...read "ATC cancellation received"

CPDLC for VFR OCONUS would be a wonderful thing...

 

[kellym]

Sorry I was unclear with my question...

When I said "initial contact" I was referring to the scenario where I have not already had some kind of interaction with ATC that day like when making the very first call I am asking "XYZ center" for VFR flight following, when airborne and calling to pick up an IFR clearance, and/or when flying VFR when I make the first call to an approach controller for clearance into Class B.

I am old enough to remember checking in with ATC with the speech...

"Oakland Center N123XX is a Cessna 172 Slant Golf at 9500 10 miles west of ABC VOR request flight following destination KXYZ"

Yep...I remember it like it was just yesterday...because...well I guess it was just yesterday...and it still like that today...

You would think that...IF...tomorrow would ever come with this new fangled stuff we could just check in with...

"N123XX request flight following destination KXYZ"

ATC> tap...tap...tap "N123XX Oakland Center radar contact maintain VFR advise of any altitude change"


Better yet...

tap...tap...send

bling...read message...tap "acknowledge"...

blissful silence for an hour...

bling...read message...tap "looking" ...tap "in sight"

blissful silence for an hour...

tap "cancel ATC connection"

bling...read "ATC cancellation received"

CPDLC for VFR OCONUS would be a wonderful thing...

ATC is slow to change unless required by a manual change written by lawyers after an accident.
I remember 40 years ago when I was a journeyman Tracon controller. Main difference was the lack of readback for VFR clearances and about 3 times as many controllers being licensed pilots. Very little phraseology changes besides those required by ICAO. I also suspect the FAA was slow about adding ADS-B inputs and software to the radar scopes, so controllers haven't adjusted that much to looking at the extra information. Not sure they would want VFR targets having tail numbers attached to them, as it would cause a lot of screen clutter compared to only having tags on aircraft they were working...IFR or flight following.

 

[Dynon101]

Kelly M

THANKS for your input. Please add more ATC background info to the discussions...greatly appreciated

 

[RV9APlane]

In the August issue of AOPA Pilot there is an article starting on page 95 titled “Cracking the Code.” On page 97 it starts talking about what codes to use for ADS-B. The author states “There is no code for dual-band ADS-B In capabilities, so enter B2 or U2 based on the frequency of your ADS-B Out.” So, although I’ve been using B1 since reading this thread, it appears we could be using B2? Thoughts?

 

[jnmeade]

FAA Form 7233-4 - International Flight Plan

www.faa.gov

"ADS-B:

B1 ADS-B with dedicated 1090 MHz ADS-B “out” capability

B2 ADB-B with dedicated 1090 MHz ADS-B “out” and “in” capability

U1 ADS-B “out” capability using UAT

U2 ADS-B “out” and “in” capability using UAT

V1 ADS-B “out” capability using VDL Mode 4

V2 ADS-B “out” and “in” capability using VDL Mode 4

NOTE-
File no more than one code for each type of capability, e.g. file B1 or B2 and not both"

 

[jakej]

my reading is that we use EB2 if Mode S & ADSB IN & OUT - its different ICAO rules up north ?