On Feb 14, 8:42 pm, Mike the Strike wrote:
Also.....consider, a Transponder equipped aircraft is also REQUIRED to have
the transponder ON and reporting at all times from wheels up to wheels
down......not just as I have heard many glider pilots saying they "only use"
the transponder when they are flying at or near areas of high traffic....
think about this....

A lot of us have thought about this, including people in the FAA, and
decided it's a lot better to have a transponder on in areas that need
it, instead of risking a dead battery (meaning NO radio or
transponder) later in the flight, or discouraging pilots with marginal
batteries from installing a transponder. I covered this in the the
"Guide". Take a look at that section and see if it promotes flight
safety better than strict adherence to the "always on" rule; also,
take a look at the "Why doesn't the SSA ..." section that addresses
the FAA's official position.

This argument seems rather like deciding to put your seat belt on in a
car just before you have a crash!

And that is the only time you need to have it on - it has no value at
any other time.

Actually, the argument is more about encouraging people to install the
seat belt in the first place, and hope they will use it when it
matters.

Anyway, this rule isn't an option, it is mandatory. If you have a
transponder the regs say it MUST be on while you are flying. No pilot
discretion here.

The nuance here is that we are not required to have transponders
installed, so it seems reasonable to argue that pilot A, who turns on
the transponder for some of the flight, is improving safety more than
pilot B, who doesn't install a transponder. Yes, pilot A is operating
contrary to the regulations and pilot B isn't, but which one is making
flight safer? Our SSA representatives that discuss these things with
the FAA say the FAA much prefers pilot A.