Mike Schumann wrote:

Once we get the price down under $1K, which I firmly believe is possible in
the not too distant future with ADS-B, the price argument will no longer
fly.

There is another way to mitigate the cost of transponders that can be
done right now, without waiting for what may be the "too distant
future": the FAA sells them to glider pilots and other currently exempt
aircraft for, say, $1000. That's what New Zealand did 10-15 years ago,
and it was apparently a very successful plan.

Perhaps someone familiar with that plan can explain it in detail.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* Updated! "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* New Jan '08 - sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org