Argument number 3.While collision avoidance equipment is available and
expensive (not because of politics really but because
of liability), it is not flawless. I have spent thousands
of hours with TCAS and have seen numerous near mid-air
reports filed. It is a vast improvement to nothing.
It does not replace the mark I eyball, but augments
it enhancing safety. Many pilots get balled up (preoccupied)
looking for the reported TCAS traffic and fail to see
the piper cub buzzing by till he passes 300 ft. over
the cockpit. Good tool. Not fallible, distracting
and expensive. I had one installed on a Gulfstream
1 for $35000.00 and the equipment requirement is the
same for a C-172. An alternative, which is listed
on Tim's W&W web site is a radio monitor that receives
the IFF transponder (which the TCAS also is) and gives
a range and relative altitude for the closest target.
Not a bad tool for cruising solo but not useful in
a thermal of more than two where of course (hmm...)you
would know the proximity of that one other target.
Multiple targets that are transponder equipped within
the minimum range of .1mi (600 ft) displayed would
not be displayed. Like I said a good tool for on the
run, not in a thermal.Now to the meat of the matter. The most valuable lesson
we can learn from the recent mid airs we have suffered
is improved Communications. Virtually all gliders
are radio equipped. In the pattern with very diverse
aircraft types we avoid collisions not only with visual
diligence, but mostly by communicating clearly where
we are flying. If you are entering a thermal, announce
to those in the vicinity of your intentions. I am
not suggesting constant radio communications while
thermalling, but if you are joining say so. If you
tell your neighbors you intend to do something and
you decide to do something else, say so.I am not suggesting that technology does not exist
or can be developed to combat this, nor do I think
we should sit on our laurels waiting for someone else
to come up with some magic tool to do it for us. I
think we should press on talking about possibilities
and put our briains together to come up with that tool.
Possibly those of the technology camp can start an
LLC to mitigate the liability and develop a tool but
I think we are obligated to improve the tools we already
have to increase our situational awareness. That tool
is the radio and the improvement we can make today
is to practice good communications of our intentions.v/rjeff