On Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 1:21:42 PM UTC-7, son_of_flubber wrote:
When gliders are required to install Mode-S transponders, will high performance aircraft be required to install TCAS?

You likely need to define what you mean by "high-performance", it is probably not what I mean by high-performance (light-jet up to airliners).

Many "high performance" aircraft are required to install TCAS today, and have been for ages (the USA lead that move, in direct response to horrifically fatal airliner-GA light aircraft mid-air collisions, with the FAA pushed there by the NTSB as it is now being done so with this latest ANPRM). e.g. part 121 10-30 seats require TCAS I (and most modern installs are likely to actually be TCAS II), 30 seats require TCAS II. Many other high performance aircraft voluntarily equip with TCAS II, e.g. the entire fleets of many fractional share/lease business jet operators are TCAS II equipped. Many military transport aircraft, e.g. the big USAF C5s that say might be carrying hundreds of troops, are TCAS II equipped.

The high adoption of TCAS II with airliners etc. is one of the leading reasons that makes carriage of transponders so effective near busy airspace, where a midair collision with a glider could kill hundreds of innocent passengers. Somehow warping that reality to require more TCAS adoption before you might want to adopt transponders makes no sense. And leading with that argument may make the glider community look ignorant of current TCAS adoption rates or benefits, or unconcerned about he risks to airliners etc. in high-traffic areas.

Maybe pointing out where *you* fly there is such little airliner and fast-jet etc. traffic that mandatory transponder adoption is an unreasonable cost, money better spent on other saftey etc.