The aircraft "is" whatever is listed in the ATC flight data tag, which is based on the flight plan information. There MAY BE a separation question raised by this reported incident, if true, in that the traffic separation behind "heavy" jets is procedurally maintained longer than for light jets, including a G-V, due to the potential for upset due to wake turbulence/vortex. So, if the data tag was inaccurate, there MAY HAVE BEEN a separation issue. - Bob Mann mgreenwood@xxxxxxxxx wrote: > Does anyone on the list know if ATC can tell an aircraft type by the blip that > shows up on the radar screen? When AF1 was travelling to Iraq, it was filed as > a Gulfstream in the flight plan. Apparently a British pilot saw it over > British Airspace and asked British ATC if it was in fact Air Force One. ATC > gave the party line, and replies that it was a gulfstream. Would ATC have > known it was AF1 or would the White House have contacted all of the countries > whose airspace AF1 would have travelled through and asked them to go along with > the story? > > Mark -- R.W. Mann & Company, Inc. >> Airline Industry Analysis Port Washington, NY 11050 >> tel 516-944-0900, fax -7280 mailto:info@xxxxxxxxxx >> URL http://www.RWMann.com/ This e-mail is for the designated recipient only and may contain privileged or confidential information. If you have received it in error, please notify the above sender immediately then delete the original e-mail. Any other use of this e-mail is prohibited.