From here
Jesse wrote:
but it seems an typical UK thing
I note that even the Brits disagree this is a common practice in the UK. I was in Perigueux last Saturday, went up to the tower and met a visiting British pilot. I asked him that very question: is it true that British light GA avoid using the transponder or transponding altitude because of fear of being charged with violations. His answer was NO.
So now I have two datapoints. Peter says this is common practice. The guy I talked to says it is not.
However even on this forum Brits do not agree with your statement Peter.
What I also observe is that the TAS600 equipped aircraft I fly (DA40/DA42) show a lot less traffic than the Avidyne Traffic Watch (TCAD
9900BX I believe) equipped aircraft. So maybe the problem is simply that your TAS600 does not show the data.
Jesus, what did you expect him to say?
Also you found a Brit outside Britain. Useless data point.
I posted enough evidence. Over and out. Off topic for this thread also.
Peter wrote:
I posted enough evidence.
???? I am sure it won’t hold up in court
I moved the OT posts to this thread. I suggest you read what was posted earlier, e.g. here
Also I can get you any number of photos of planes with their TXP off or Mode A – if I could be bothered to fly around with a long lens.
Hold up in a court? Why should somebody sue over a forum post making a general issue?
As one who’s been installing and maintaining transponders in U.K. light aircraft for the past 25 years, I would disagree with Peter that owners often carry defective altitude encoders or transponders. Whenever we have found one to be unserviceable there has been no problem in agreeing with the owner for installing a replacement or having a unit repaired (in the case of encoders, the few occasions where that’s possible). We also see very few aircraft now that don’t have at least Mode C transponders installed although to be fair, we don’t work on home-built and other permit-to-fly types where electrical power may be an issue in operating a transponder.
I would agree that not all of the installed transponders are used for what ever reason. I fly a TAS620-equipped aircraft and there are frequent occasions where I visually spot aircraft that don’t appear on the TAS display, suggesting the transponder is off. I’m also aware of course that the Avidyne system is more prone than its competitors to poor sensitivity, directional accuracy, or blind spots because of its antenna arrangements, so some known transponding targets certainly don’t show..
From a personal perspective, I’d much rather the use of transponders was mandated in the U.K. rather than see the proliferation of various conspicuuty devices that don’t all talk to each other and can only be displayed on portable tablets.
Probably worth coming down south.
Most of it is particular types of users.
I also think txp use should be mandatory, but it will never happen.
Regarding poor TAS range, well, the system was done by a top bodge shop, but I see loads of Mode C targets. In between them, loads of Mode A targets. In between them, loads of silent ones. This is not consistent with the system having a poor range. There may be an element of poor antenna installations however, because modern planes usually show up.
wigglyamp wrote:
From a personal perspective, I’d much rather the use of transponders was mandated in the U.K. rather than see the proliferation of various conspicuuty devices that don’t all talk to each other and can only be displayed on portable tablets.
I believe it will become compulsory in Oct this year as per the change to SERA that I posted earlier in this thread.
Does anyone know whether the SERA reg requiring all installed transponders to be ON is complied with by the following
wigglyamp wrote:
From a personal perspective, I’d much rather the use of transponders was mandated in the U.K. rather than see the proliferation of various conspicuuty devices that don’t all talk to each other and can only be displayed on portable tablets.
I’ve seen in various places the CAA saying they prefer ADS-B over the proliferation, as ADS-B is a standard, it’s very very cheap to receive, and it integrates with transponders.
(I’m just replacing my 20 year old Mode-C transponder with a new Mode-S + ADS-B Out transponder, which after looking at it seems to be the best way of being electronically seen as pretty much any traffic device should see it fine from low cost stuff cobbled together with an RPi and rtl-sdr, to Peter’s certified avionics and airliner TCAS).
The CAA merely say that the transponder if fitted and if serviceable should be switched on, and do not specify a mode.
A literal interpretation would indicate that mode A meets the stated requirement.
