Author: Wg Cdr Rajagopal

Distance Measuring Equipment Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) Distance Measuring Equipment provides Accurate Slant Range using secondary radar principle Combination of VOR and DME is an ICAO approved equipment for Airways TACAN is military equipment equivalent to DME that is installed in military airfields providing same indications in flight deck Radar Mile Radar Mile is the time taken for a Pulse to travel 1 NM and return back to radar calculated using speed of radio waves Since, 1 Radar Mile = 12.36 Micro Seconds One way Distance to the target in…

Secondary Surveillance Radar Principle of Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) SSR provides positive identification of aircraft in the line of sight on the UHF band frequencies with active co-operation of target Secondary Surveillance Radar detects aircrafts at higher range using lower power on the principle of interrogation and response SSR Ground Based Interrogator Interrogator of SSR is a ground-based equipment transmitting on 1030 MHz in horizontal plane in a specified direction SSR Interrogator has a flat directional antenna mounted on top of primary radar antenna to synchronise with primary radars The…

Airborne Weather Radar Airborne Weather Radar (AWR) Airborne weather radars installed on aircrafts provides information on weather, clouds and terrain mapping AWR can be used for fixing position in range and bearing from ground feature Consists of a transmitter, receiver, antenna and display with control panel Heating elements in the radar housing helps in reducing icing risk Airborne Radars use Flat Plate Slotted Array Antenna on a Gyro Stabilised Platform to maintain antenna horizontal during Pitch and Roll Advantage of Flat Plate antenna include Narrow Beams, Lesser Power and Side…