Radar question about the WTC....

[SocialDistortion]

Ok. i'm talking to soemone on AIM right now and they say that the radar on the planes were turned off so there was NO way to detect the planes

My question is, doesn't radar just bounce off of objects? the planes weren't all black to aborb the radar, so couldn't they have picked it up on a radar scan of the area?

i dunno. thats' what i remember radar as being. i dont' remember radar as being something where you have a transmitter that sends out a signal...i know if it as a scanner that may work on conjunction with the sender (as on the plane)

anyways, please help me on this one. thanks

 

[Schlocemus]

I'm not sure about turning "off" radar, but yes, radar just does "bounce off" so to speak. However, if they flew below radar then they would be barely detectable.

 

[SrAirmanV]

radar is the reception of signals sent out and recieved d2 the fact the bounce of the object, the acft turned off its transponder

 

[A5]

He probably meant the transponder, which relays information about the plane to the FAA and airport control towers.

 

[tweakmm]

from what i understand:
each plane has a tracking device in it, it just makes it easier for the FCC to track everybody, as opposed to using radar. If the FCC had used radar, there was no way that they wouldn't have seen it

EDIT: Beat me to it guys

 

[ViperMagic]

He meant transponder... civiallan radar dosent measure alt or speed, just shows it. the transponder shows its spee dand stuff