"A Guide to Transponders in Sailplanes" - updated!

On Feb 22, 9:17 am, J a c k wrote:
Tim Mara wrote:
...a Transponder equipped aircraft is also REQUIRED to have
the transponder ON and reporting at all times from wheels up to wheels
down....

Yes, we keep bumping against this reg whenever the subject comes up.

What is the rationale behind such a requirement?

Whose interests does it serve to differentiate between uninstalled
transponders and unused transponders?

Is it just another example of bureaucratic passive/aggressive
bitchiness, or is there an actual Safety of Flight context that
thoughtful glider pilots can appreciate?

Jack

I suspect it is to prevent thinking like "I'll just turn this little
box off and bust whatever FAR I feel like cuz noboby can see me" (even
if ATC can see you as a primary on radar). Seems a perfectly fine
requirement for a powered aircraft and I'd be surprised if gliders
were front and center in any thinking about this requirement. As for
bitchiness, the FAA seems to be showing perfect restraint in not
enforcing the thing you seemed concerned about, and therefore helping
encourage use of transponders in sailplanes. Of course we can keep
whining about this and other requirements and maybe in a long shot end
up with removing a regulation that does not seem to be enforced or
maybe worse end up with more regulations, maybe mandatory Mode-C/ADS-B
for all flight...

For many people flying in high-traffic areas, and that's a lot more
than just around Reno, it is not outrageous to expect them to install
batteries (and/or possibly solar panels at significantly higher cost)
so they can operate transponders thought quite long flights. So there
is no need to turn off those transponders - and in those areas that
*is* a safety of flight issue.

Darryl