A couple questions to answer here about transponder and slot time?

Question

When an aircraft is given a slot time what does that actually enable/ mean they do? is it the time they have on which they have to be away from the gate?

On the transponder what does the settings TA/ RA and TA Only mean?

What are FMAs?

Answer 1

Slot time is a time slot for an aircraft to use the runway. Many major airlines effictively own certain time slots on runways at various airports, and as such it is next to impossible for another airline to book that particular slot for themselves.

Answer 2

A slot time is also sometimes known as a wheels up time.  It is basically a window where you need to be in the air so you can fit into a slot between other aircraft flying along the same route you are.  Spacing requirements for enroute aircraft are VERY strictly enforced.  So in order to keep as many aircraft going into and out of busy airports, you are assigned a time to get into the air.  Its a little like metering the onramp on the freeway.  Slowing down the traffic entering the road keeps the traffic as a whole moving faster and prevents gridlock.  Typically, your slot time gives you a +4/-2 minute window to get airborne.

On the transponder, TA/RA refers to Traffic Advisory and Resolution Advisory.  It is predictive software that looks for other airplanes' transponder signals and tries to prevent a conflict by alerting you to other potentially hazardous aircraft (in the case of a TA) and giving you directions in order to escape a threat once it is detected (RA).

A FMA is a flight mode annunciator.  This is a panel that tells the pilots which vertical and horizontal modes of navigation are being used.  For instance, you could be going GPS direct, which will be annunciated as "FMS"  or tracking a localizer antenna (LOC) or simply flying a heading while being vecotred (HDG).  There are also vertical modes like Vertical Speed (VS) Altitude hold (ALT) Airspeed holds (IAS, CLMB, or something similar) Pitch holds (PTCH).  Depending on the situation or personal preference, pilots may use any of them to accomplish whatever task they need to accomplish.

Edit: Contrary to what one of the above posters says, airlines do not "book" times on runways or in the air.  The FAA hands out slot times simply on a first come, first served basis.  Nobody has the authority to bump another airline off a runway simply because they want to use it, and nobody has the authority to reserve exclusive use of a runway.

Answer 3

I know mode c and 1200 is for VFR and it also sends alt info.

Answer 4

slot time is the time you are required to be airborne. ie. your takeoff time. so you have to make a educated guess how long it will take you to pushback, start the engines and taxi to the runway.

TA/RA will give you both traffic advisory and a resolution advisory. select TA Only if you have an engine failure and are unable to climb in the event of a RA.

FMA is your Flight Mode Annunciators. it tells you what mode you're in (duh!), ie. whether you're flying basic mode, or in LNAV/VNAV  or some sort of combination.