my experience is, that ATCs do not like glider pilots
as soon as they find out, that you cannot keep your
flight level.
In central Europe I had a transponder in the glider,
to get permission to cross some controlled corridors.
I mostly got permission to cross the airspace with
the condition of keeping flight level! A reply of not
being able to keep flight level invertet mostly the
permission into refusal.
The trick was then to enter the airspace first and then
request for sinking to flightlevel (-2FL for the 20km).
But the ATC never liked you for doing that!!

I think Transponder requirement is only virtually
increasing safety. You accept to install transponders
and as a thank you, they will steal you some more
airspace which has been free for VFR before!

Chris


"Mil80C" wrote in message
...
Thanks all for your responses, the idea was posted in another NG and as I
am
not of the soaring fraternaty, could not speak against it with any
experience. I will say that as an ATC, I will allways support your sport.

"Ramy Yanetz" wrote in message
om...
$30 will get you an extra battery which will run your transponder longer
than you can stay in the air. Unfortunately many pilots as well as the
FAA
don't know this.
Ramy

"CH" wrote in message
news
and how long does the battery last?
with the transponder on?
Australia decided, that planes without a permanent source
of power on board, do not need transponders in mixed
airspace.
I would prefer, that IFR traffic out of airport airspace should
fly higher than the convection height from sunrise to sunset :-)
How's that??
Chris