"A Guide to Transponders in Sailplanes" - updated!

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

On Feb 11, 12:47 am, "kirk.stant" wrote:
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

THanks, Kirk, I'll look into these and update as needed. We're on the
road to the convention at the moment.

Eric