Eric,

Excellent document - should be required reading for all glider (and
power) pilots.

One comment - you state that a transponder will not provide protection
from "tactical aircraft like fighters that don't use TCAS". While it
is true that fighters don't have TCAS, most Air Force fighters
(specifically, all F-15s and most F-16s) have active transponder
interrogators (in addition to their air-to-air radar) that can detect
transponder equipped gliders very easily. Even the old F-4 that I
used to fly in had a crude but effective transponder interrogator, and
we used it a lot to find VFR traffic when low flying in MOAs (the
antique steam-powered radar in the F-4 left a lot to be desired at low
altitude...)

The A-10, as far as I know, isn't equipped with either air-to-air
radar or an interrogator - so if you share aispace with Warthogs. keep
an eye out for them!

As far as Navy/Marine fighters - all F-18s have air-to-air radars, but
I think only the latest Hornets have an interrogator. Not sure about
Harriers, but again, the later Harriers have basically the same air-to-
air radar as the Hornet.

Transponders are wonderful, but I really think a detector device like
the MRX is even more essential in some areas.

Cheers,

Kirk
66