I'm all for cheap but I think of the glider as pretty much a stationary
target for a fast mover. Sure, you'll see the other-equipped aircraft,
but he won't see you, mainly because he's got his head inside the
cockpit (or somewhere else...).

Time for another "There I Was" story... I was climbing over Black
Forest at around 12,000' MSL, directly on a line between Colorado
Springs and Denver International. Looking south, I saw a speck in the
distance. Following 360 degrees of turn, I saw the 767 banking sharply
to avoid me. Had I had a transponder, they would have seen me. At the
time, neither PCAS nor FLARM were on the market. Glad the copilot was
looking outside!

I'm not bashing FLARM but I only bought mine because of a smoking good
deal on it. Now that I have it, I like it but I still think that, if
you can only afford one thing, the transponder is the way to go.

Yesterday, returning from my wave flight and passing over Moriarty to
add miles to my triangle, I got an ADS-B hit on my PF portable. It was
2,500' below me at 12 o'clock. Counting on my fingers, I calculated he
was at 12,000' MSL crossing over home plate. Must be IFR, must be an
airliner, turn a few degrees to the right and look down and there he
is! Had I been lower, and had I not had a transponder, it could have
been a completely different story.

On 12/10/2016 10:36 AM, kirk.stant wrote:
On Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 9:21:25 AM UTC-6, Dan Marotta wrote:
Not talking about the other glider at your club, nor am I talking
about ADS-B (despite the subject line). I'm talking about Joe
Farmer bopping along in his 172 and staring at his new-fangled GPS.
Remember that guy that got run over by an F-16 a few months
back...? Now admittedly, you wouldn't expect either of them to have
FLARM (in this country), and ATC's warnings didn't convey the
urgency to the F-16 pilot.
Actually - your scenario is EXACTLY why I prefer PF (remember, it's basically FLARM plus PCAS plus ADS-B from 1090ES) to a transponder, in MY low alt environment. Joe Farmer VFR may be squawking 1200 and talking to nobody, and doesn't have ADS-B. I'll get a warning on PF (PCAS). Or, Joe Doctor is VFR in his Cirrus with fancy ADS-B (mode S). I'll see him on my PF.

Now, if I replace my PF with a nice TT-21 (for about the same price): Joe Farmer doesn't see me, and Joe Doctor might get me via TIS-B. I don't get ANY warning about EITHER of them.

I like my way better - because in the air, I don't trust ANYONE!

And sure, it would be nice to have a cheap simple ADS-B out...BUT RIGHT NOW IT DOESN'T EXIST!!!! Thank you FAA for completely blowing off the small guy.

Kirk
66

--
Dan, 5J