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Old February 7th 10, 01:06 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Darryl Ramm
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Posts: 2,403
Default Cirrus collides with Glider/Towplane

On Feb 6, 4:11*pm, "BT" wrote:
Without knowing the altitude, it is difficult to determine the class of
airspace. The class of airspace would make no difference as both were
allowed in the airspace.

More than likely there was a transponder in the tow plane. I will surmise
that the tow plane would not receive information from the Cirrus
transponder.
Depending on ATC radar coverage, the Cirrus being of modern avionics, might
might might have had information from the tow planes transponder.
But again, that depends on ATC radar coverage for TIS reporting.

VFR (VMC) condition prevailed. The Cirrus pilot should have yielded the
right of way to the tow operation, regardless of transponder information.

[snip]

Can we hold off on speculation like this. Compounding what I suspect
are guesses about what equipment the aircraft might have had you go on
to state things about TIS-S, just one possible traffic awareness
system. You don't know if the Cirrus had a Mode-S TIS capable
transponder and whether that was connected to a TIS capable display?
(And was all that turned on?) If and only then does TIS transmission
from a Mode-S terminal radar become relevant for traffic display in
the Cirrus. Any of the aircraft involved might have had Mode C or
Mode S transponders, yes likely the Cirrus had one. Any of the
aircraft could also have had PCAS, the Cirrus may have had one of the
newer active traffic systems, none of those systems require Mode-S TIS
data. I'm just trying to point out there are a large number of
possibilities, I personally have no interest in guessing, or actually
having the conversation at all right now.

Darryl