Re: It is getting easier

["Murray Hayes" <mhayes@infomatch.com>]

On Fri, 15 Nov 1996 13:02:10 -0800, Bill Frantz wrote:

>At 11:25 PM 11/14/96 -0800, Lucky Green wrote:
>>If I remember correctly, some of the newer transponders used on 
>>commercial aircraft actually transmit GPS data back to the controller in 
>>real time. I wonder how long it will be before the FAA will include such 
>>information in their database.
>
>I don't think new transponders make much difference.  The old ones heighten
>the radar image of the airplane which gives an accurate 2D position.  This
>position is automatically entered into the FAA computer which maintains the
>ATC controller's display.  In the old style, altitude is determined by an
>altimeter on the airplane which encoded into the transponder signal.
>
>If newer transponders are returning GPS signals, the position may be more
>accurate (but probably not unless they can decode the selective
>availability signal).  (OBCrypto for those who care.)
>
>
>>"To obtain the position of any passenger flight in the US within 10 
>>meters, click here."
>
>In either case, the Passenger Name Records for the flight are in the
>airlines databases (and have been there for many years), and the airplane's
>physical position is in the FAA's computer (and has been for many years). 
>The ability to find the current position of an airplane, or a passenger
>remains dependent on the incentives and disincentives for database linking
>and application development.  There are no insurmountable technical
>problems.  The technical problems are those of getting old-technology
>software to do something new.
>


Wouldn't it be a breach of privacy to alow anyone to know the location
of a passanger?  A plane maybe, but the roster of passangers is 
protected by the Privacy Act.

just my 2 cents.


mhayes@infomatch.com

It's better for us if you don't understand
It's better for me if you don't understand
                                             -Tragically Hip