View Single Post
  #5  
Old August 12th 15, 04:57 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Sierra Whiskey
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 38
Default SSA responds to ANPRM

FWIW:

1) Transponders will give a false sense of security and teach vigilant glider pilots to trust that ATC is keeping tabs on their location for traffic deconfliction. This will result in less situational awareness for some pilots. (It is inevitable)

2) Transponders do nothing to separate gliders from VFR traffic squaking VFR and tracking in or out of an uncontrolled airfield. Not everyone is talking to ATC or getting flight following. And despite popular opinion, not everyone has an onboard collision avoidance system. (At least everything at my flight school lacks this capability)

3) If an immediate requirement for Transponders in gliders with electrical systems is imposed all gliders without a transponder will be out $2000 now, and another $2000-$5000 in 5 years when they have to upgrade to ADS-B. Why not wait till 2020? (Can't put a price on safety, but the FAA sure can harm a sport and form of flight training by imposing expensive requirements. The pilot shortage is near!!!)

4) In relation to my first point, the Flarm unit is far superior in my mind because it improves a pilots situational awareness and allows the glider pilot the chance to see and avoid. Let's not kid ourselves, glider pilots are looking out the window a hell of a lot more than a Bonanza flying VFR for that $100 hamburger. I would rather know where they are than have them run into me and my shiney new transponder.

5) If I have a battery failure in flight under a transponder requirement, do I need to land immediately in the nearest farm field? It is more likely that a glider will run out of sufficient battery power than an aircraft with an engine driven electrical system. Once the batteries run out of power the glider is now back to the same situation it was prior to the requirement. Waiting for ADS-B has some benefit here as the smaller units being developed for UAS are quite energy efficient.

I realize Flarm cannot be the solution. But I do think encouraging the use of a device that adds situational awareness is far more effective than trusting that a ground based radar and ATC operator are going to have communications with the traffic.