New Nationwide Squawk Code

Frank Whiteley wrote:
On Apr 2, 11:42*am, Fred wrote:
SoaringNV is sponsoring a Minden Wave Camp this week. *As part of our
camp we have invited the tower controllers from Reno TRACON to talk to
us about communication with them, something we do for every camp. *We
learned, quite inadvertantly, that a nationwide transponder squawk
code has been assigned to gliders: 1201.

SO, from now on your transponder should be set to squawk 1201 anywhere
in the US (including the Reno airspace, where we have used a different
squawk code by agreement between PASCO and the controllers.)

Please use 1201 squawk code in your glider transponder.

Fred LaSor
SoaringNV
775 790-4314
Minden, NV

Referenced here

http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/m...110.66D%20.pdf

Wait-a-minute!

But isn't the quoted document an FAA internal order to its ATO service
units? The section labeled "Audience" no where indicates this is a
regulatory requirement to gliders having transponders. If there is a
regulatory document where this is made clear, that would be helpful and
more convincing.

In fact the following order, dated February 11, 2010, doesn't list 1201 or
any special treatment of gliders with transponders:

http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publi...C/atc0502.html

While gliders with transponders in the Reno Nevada area may now be required
to use 1201, I can find no official publication by the FAA to support the
assertion that VFR glider pilots in the rest of the nation are now required
(or even allowed or advised) to use 1201 on an installed transponder.

In fact while searching I found that 1201 was recently used as one of the
beacon codes in the TFR of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

(Unless the FAA is now relying on Web viral postings and blogs as its new
means of publishing regulations? Very hip of them!)

I'm not sure that squawk code 1201 will ever be required for "VFR
gliders out of contact with ATC", the way 1200 is for aircraft flying
VFR and not in radio contact with ATC. But 1201 is now officially
reserved for gliders in that condition, and thus ATC facilities are
alerted that 1201 has a specific meaning.

Your point of who is responsible to start US gliders using 1201 is a
good one, though. In previous posts on this thread it was stated that
this should be decided locally, and it seems that remains the best way
forward for now. I agree it would be nice for clearer advice from the
FAA.

-John

On Apr 5, 10:58 pm, Jim Logajan wrote:
Wait-a-minute!

But isn't the quoted document an FAA internal order to its ATO service
units? The section labeled "Audience" no where indicates this is a
regulatory requirement to gliders having transponders. If there is a
regulatory document where this is made clear, that would be helpful and
more convincing.

In fact the following order, dated February 11, 2010, doesn't list 1201 or
any special treatment of gliders with transponders:

http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publi...C/atc0502.html

While gliders with transponders in the Reno Nevada area may now be required
to use 1201, I can find no official publication by the FAA to support the
assertion that VFR glider pilots in the rest of the nation are now required
(or even allowed or advised) to use 1201 on an installed transponder.

In fact while searching I found that 1201 was recently used as one of the
beacon codes in the TFR of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

(Unless the FAA is now relying on Web viral postings and blogs as its new
means of publishing regulations? Very hip of them!)

Ah, confusion rains supreme. Squawk this.......no squawk
that........don't squawk anything? What we have here is the makings of
a good cluster-fuxx. The unskilled led by the untrained, green troops
led by yellow leaders.......wait a minute, have I been recalled to
active duty? That must be it........New orders men.........Continue to
disregard the new squawking procedure until such time as Hq gets an
extraction tool to remove head from butt.
:) JJ

JJ Sinclair wrote:
Ah, confusion rains supreme. Squawk this.......no squawk
that........don't squawk anything? What we have here is the makings of
a good cluster-fuxx. The unskilled led by the untrained, green troops
led by yellow leaders.......wait a minute, have I been recalled to
active duty? That must be it........New orders men.........Continue to
disregard the new squawking procedure until such time as Hq gets an
extraction tool to remove head from butt.
:) JJ

Oh...wait...gliders (most) do not have an "engine driven charging
system" and are thus exempted from needing a transponder in the first
place when flying in class B or C airspace (maybe even class A??? I
don't know....the highest I go is about 4000 MSL). Squawk nothing I
fly my Corben (powered aircraft, no charging system) in Class C airspace
on occasion by calling the airspace authority on the telephone prior to
departure from an airport about 30 minutes out. I do have a handheld
radio and then call them on it about 10 miles from the outer edge. They
usually have me make a 90 degree turn for radar ID and then clear me in.
Simple as that! Then, to top THAT off, they've even re-route F-16s
etc. as necessary and pretty much give me priority (ie Springfield, IL
in this example) and then direct me on the ground to a place such as
Garrett Aviation for overnight parking and Garrett even put me in their
hangar overnight, tucked under the wing of a biz jet, all for FREE!