"Brian Bange" wrote in message
...
Huh???
If you don't think we should be in the airspace with a transponder, then
why would it matter if it was closed to us? I don't get your logic.

"If we continue to fly in these heavy traffic areas, even with a
transponder, but do not stay in communications with ATC it's hardly better
than being there without a transponder.
If we continue to have near iss situations or, worse, hits we won't have to
make the choice, it will be made for us.
We just had a glider and jet collide in this same situation.....the
transponder was reported to be turned off...this is the same situation and
same logic we hear all along. "I only want the transponder turned on when I
am near heavy traffic areas"


What do you think will happen to us when an airliner hits a glider and it
brings the airliner down?

just as I mentioned...we won't have the ability to choose if or where we
want to fly...
The non-soaring public isnt going to listed to some small group of rich
glider pilots with their expensive toys out there making it unsafe for their
kids to fly home from college, Politicians will go where the votes and
voters are, for more federal control. Just look at the politicians responses
in NY and Illinoise after these and similar incidents.


I just visited ATC last week and looked at what they see of
non-transponder
equipped aircraft. It is a little + mark. They ignore them. They can't
tell
if it is ground clutter, birds, a mylar balloon etc., so it just plain
does
not exist to them.

and also they are not required to advise VFR traffic of other targets or at
best on a "workload permitting basis" and they can do this only if they
have communication with the traffic...
So as we blunde around making our circles in the approach path or airways we
can expect ATC to reroute the airliners and other traffic as we go happily
along . It won't take much more to convince the airlines there is a menace
out there causing them delays and costing them fuel..
The simple ingredience are there to work against us....all of us.


A transponder equipped glider squawking 1200 will have approaching
aircraft
advised of it's presence, even with the glider pilot on 123.3. TCAS in any
fast mover will also alert them of the gliders presence. So with a
transponder, you get 2 chances to be seen. You still have the 182's to
worry about, and that is where the Zaon is a handy device, but it's
foolish
to think that you'll be able to maneuver out of the way of a fast mover
with a 20 second alert from the Zaon. It will take you that long to make
the turn and locate them. You'll have just enough time to see your
immanent
demise.

Or....have no warning except the collision...? Your chance of running into
or being run into by fast movers is increased by simpy being in the wrong
place
tim



Brian Bange

having said that, the FAA is acutely aware that there is a growing number
or transponder equipped gliders, many of which can routinely be found
running down the airways and flying near
military and commercial airliners. I continually hear that "we have to fly
though this heavy traffic area, this is just where we need to go to get to
the best soaring" or similar comments....the truth of the matter is, as
long as we have this attitude eventually this will not be an option and
this
airspace will be closed to all gliders or all gliders will be required to
have an maintain transponders, communicate with appropriate ATC and get
permission to enter into the shrinking airspace we have come to know and
open.