Module MOD-09 · 7 min · ACS PA.III.A · ACS PA.I.E

Transponder Codes and Flight Following

← Communications and Air Traffic Controldraft — pending CFI review

Why this matters in flight: The transponder is how radar sees and identifies you, and its emergency codes broadcast a silent message to every controller watching. Flight following adds an extra set of eyes on your route. Both are simple tools that dramatically improve safety when used correctly.

The transponder replies to radar interrogations with a four-digit code. A VFR aircraft without an assigned discrete code squawks 1200. Three codes are reserved for emergencies and must never be dialed carelessly, because rolling through them can trigger a real response: 7500 means unlawful interference or hijacking, 7600 means a two-way radio failure, and 7700 means a general emergency. The rhyme "seventy-five taken alive, seventy-six radio fix, seventy-seven going to heaven" helps keep them straight. Flight following, formally VFR radar traffic advisories, is a service where ATC points out nearby traffic and issues safety alerts. It is provided on a workload-permitting basis, so a busy controller may decline, and it never removes your own responsibility to see and avoid other aircraft.

Key terms

Squawk 1200
The standard VFR transponder code when no discrete code is assigned.
Emergency codes
7500 hijack, 7600 lost comm, 7700 general emergency.
Flight following
VFR radar traffic advisories provided on a workload-permitting basis.

Summary

Squawk 1200 VFR. Reserve 7500 (hijack), 7600 (lost comm), and 7700 (emergency). Flight following adds traffic advisories but never replaces see-and-avoid.

Quick check ▾

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Objective mastery: 15%

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What transponder code should a VFR aircraft squawk when not assigned a discrete code?

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Sources

Every claim traces to a source — paraphrased knowledge elements pointing at the governing FAA publication; not yet verified against a retrieved source.

  • AIM 4-1-20 / 6-2-2 / 6-3-4 / 6-4-2 — Aeronautical Information Manual unverified
  • AIM 4-1-18 — Aeronautical Information Manual unverified

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