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Squawk code · vfr

Squawk 1202: VFR glider (United States)

Squawk 1202 is the US code for VFR gliders that are not in contact with air traffic control.

Squawk 1202 identifies a glider flying under visual flight rules without talking to ATC. It lets controllers and other pilots know the target is an unpowered aircraft that may circle, climb in thermals and change altitude without warning.

What 1202 means

The FAA's AIM (4-1-20) asks glider pilots who are not in contact with ATC to squawk 1202 instead of the general VFR code 1200. The separate code matters because gliders behave differently from powered aircraft. They have no engine to climb away, they often climb thousands of feet while circling in a thermal or riding mountain wave, and they may fly long, slow cross-country routes along ridges.

When a controller sees 1202 near an airliner's path, they can warn the airliner that the traffic is a glider that may not be able to manoeuvre quickly, and that its altitude may change significantly.

Where you see 1202

  • Near gliderports and soaring clubs on summer weekends.
  • Along ridges in the Appalachians, where gliders ride slope lift for hundreds of miles.
  • In the West, especially near the Sierra Nevada and Rockies, where wave soaring can take gliders well above 18,000 ft by special arrangement with ATC.

Many gliders carry only a low-power transponder or a FLARM collision-warning device instead of ADS-B Out, so the number you can see on a tracker is lower than the number flying. In ADS-B data, gliders often also report emitter category B1. See ADS-B emitter categories.

How 1202 appears on heywhatsflying

A glider is one of the "interesting right now" finds on our dashboard. Look for slow ground speeds (often 40 to 70 knots), tight circling tracks and climb rates that change sign every few seconds. Our guide to helicopters, balloons and oddities covers other unusual traffic.

See the full squawk code index for other codes.

Questions

Why do gliders have their own squawk code?

Gliders have no engine and can climb or descend quickly in rising air, so it helps controllers and other pilots to know a target is a glider. The separate code 1202 makes that clear on radar.

Do all gliders show up on flight trackers?

No. Many gliders carry only a basic transponder or a FLARM device and no ADS-B Out, so trackers show only some of them.