Add transponder code (squawk) lookup and textual descriptions #30

New issue

Closed

opened 2025-08-31 11:52:34 +02:00 by olemd · 0 comments

olemd commented

2025-08-31 11:52:34 +02:00

Owner

Description

Currently, SkyView displays transponder codes (squawks) as raw hexadecimal values (e.g., "7700", "1200"). It would be valuable to provide textual interpretations of these codes to help users understand their meaning, especially for emergency and special-purpose codes.

Proposed Enhancement

Add a lookup system that translates common transponder codes into human-readable descriptions:

Emergency Codes

7700 - General Emergency
7600 - Radio Failure
7500 - Hijacking/Unlawful Interference

Common Operational Codes

1200 - VFR (Visual Flight Rules) - General Aviation
0000 - Military/No Transponder
1000 - Mode A/C not assigned
2000 - Uncontrolled airspace (some regions)
7000 - VFR (Europe/other regions)

Special Purpose Codes

1255 - Fire fighting aircraft
1277 - Search and rescue
4000-4777 - Military low altitude
0100-0777 - Military interceptor operations

Implementation Suggestions

Backend Enhancement:
- Create a transponder code lookup database/map
- Add SquawkDescription field to aircraft data structure
- Populate description when squawk code is processed
Frontend Display:
- Show description alongside or instead of hex code in aircraft table
- Use color coding for emergency codes (red for 7500/7600/7700)
- Add tooltip with full explanation
Configuration:
- Make lookup table configurable for different regions
- Allow custom code definitions in config file

Expected Benefits

Safety: Immediate recognition of emergency situations
Education: Help users understand aviation transponder system
Operational Awareness: Quick identification of special operations
Professional Use: Valuable for air traffic control training/simulation

Example Display

Instead of just showing "7700", display:

Squawk: 7700 (EMERGENCY - General)

Or in the aircraft table:

ICAO	Flight	Squawk	Description
ABC123	UAL123	1200	VFR General Aviation
DEF456	-	7700	⚠️ EMERGENCY - General

This enhancement would significantly improve the utility of SkyView for both aviation enthusiasts and professional users.

Priority

Medium - Quality of life improvement that adds significant value for aviation users.

Labels

enhancement
aviation
user-experience
data-enrichment

## Description Currently, SkyView displays transponder codes (squawks) as raw hexadecimal values (e.g., "7700", "1200"). It would be valuable to provide textual interpretations of these codes to help users understand their meaning, especially for emergency and special-purpose codes. ## Proposed Enhancement Add a lookup system that translates common transponder codes into human-readable descriptions: ### Emergency Codes - **7700** - General Emergency - **7600** - Radio Failure - **7500** - Hijacking/Unlawful Interference ### Common Operational Codes - **1200** - VFR (Visual Flight Rules) - General Aviation - **0000** - Military/No Transponder - **1000** - Mode A/C not assigned - **2000** - Uncontrolled airspace (some regions) - **7000** - VFR (Europe/other regions) ### Special Purpose Codes - **1255** - Fire fighting aircraft - **1277** - Search and rescue - **4000-4777** - Military low altitude - **0100-0777** - Military interceptor operations ## Implementation Suggestions 1. **Backend Enhancement**: - Create a transponder code lookup database/map - Add `SquawkDescription` field to aircraft data structure - Populate description when squawk code is processed 2. **Frontend Display**: - Show description alongside or instead of hex code in aircraft table - Use color coding for emergency codes (red for 7500/7600/7700) - Add tooltip with full explanation 3. **Configuration**: - Make lookup table configurable for different regions - Allow custom code definitions in config file ## Expected Benefits - **Safety**: Immediate recognition of emergency situations - **Education**: Help users understand aviation transponder system - **Operational Awareness**: Quick identification of special operations - **Professional Use**: Valuable for air traffic control training/simulation ## Example Display Instead of just showing "7700", display: ``` Squawk: 7700 (EMERGENCY - General) ``` Or in the aircraft table: | ICAO | Flight | Squawk | Description | |------|---------|---------|-------------| | ABC123 | UAL123 | 1200 | VFR General Aviation | | DEF456 | - | 7700 | ⚠️ EMERGENCY - General | This enhancement would significantly improve the utility of SkyView for both aviation enthusiasts and professional users. ## Priority Medium - Quality of life improvement that adds significant value for aviation users. ## Labels - enhancement - aviation - user-experience - data-enrichment