(USA) NTSB issues recommendations to the FAA and the SSA regarding transponder use in gliders

On Apr 1, 3:23 pm, "Tim Mara" wrote:
I agree completely.....PCAS would be a good and very affordable option for
glider pilots...
allowing (or forcing the FAA's hand)into making transponders mandatory in
gliders is going to be a real bump in the road for many (most) glider owners
and clubs...many who don't need to fly down the approach corridor of
international airports to get their kicks..
The other problem with transponders in gliders is the false sense of
security it implies....to many it is "assumed" that this is like a shield
keeping everyone else aware of their presents as they go happily flying
along with their heads down looking at the wiz-bang flight computer...this
leads to more near misses and occasional hits than electronics can
avoid....I know of no Cherokee 140's or Cezna 172's flying with TCAS on
board....and I also know of a lot more glider pilots who will insist they
only turn on the transponder when they are flying down the glideslope of
major airports..
Transponders are not the fix all for the problem, but mandatory transponders
in k6's, 2-33's and 126's will certainly have an impact on the sport as we
"knew" it.
tim

"Darryl Ramm" wrote in message

...

On Apr 1, 11:57 am, "Tim Mara" wrote:
the problem isn't gliders without transponders....the problem has always
been flying where you shouldn't be .... I never went skin diving where
they
were chumming for sharks.... it's the same thing
No the problem is when you really look at it there is much more
traffic up there than we appreciate, and that is not just Reno but
many other places. See and avoid does not work, see and estimate the
traffic density does not really work either. People can underestimate
the density and overestimate their safety and continue to believe they
are doing a good job seeing and avoiding - pilots should try out a
PCAS and it may surprise them how how much stuff they missed before.
There are many places where you just can't go XC without significant
exposure to GA, commercial and military traffic but many glider pilots
are underestimating that traffic, live in a pilotage/VFR world, don't
have a feel for traffic flow with approach/departure procedures, and
without a transponder just do not fit into a radar managed traffic
control system.

Darryl

Tim

I do fly in high traffic density areas (with transponder and PCAS and
talking to ATC when appropriate) and know many other pilots that also
at least have a transponder in their ship and none that I know have
this naive view of transponders and safety bubbles. If anything the
fact that they have a transponder in their glider, tends to be
correlated with an awareness of traffic, ATC, etc. and I suspect if
anything these folks are more likely to have their heads outside the
cockpit. And since many of those same pilots also fly with PCAS I can
guarantee they understand the need to be looking outside.

I know of many light aircraft flying with PCAS (Zaon) and a few (new
expensive ones) with the Avidyne/Ryan system that is between PCAS and
TCAS.

Darryl