Peter wrote:
What good is a separate electric bus if there is only one battery, one alternator…Well that’s kind of my point. The wherever-CAA can demand 3 dozens 8.33 radios, if they’re all on the same bus and it gets shot by one lightning strike, you’re still unable to communicate, making the initial demand fairly pointless.
I have 3 buses, I think… but only one of the above.
That is precisely why my last back up is a hand held VHF com with an external antenna …………. limited panel precision radar approach any one ?
I carry a handheld radio too, for exactly this reason. And a GPS. And a head mounted light.
But these are not a legal requirement.
My understanding is that for light aircraft a secondary NAV/GPS is required by the Garmin FAA STC only for IFR in composite airframes, due to lightning or static considerations
What I find ironic is the tacit acknowledgement by the regulator that “plastic planes” are more susceptible to losing avionics, which is well known to anybody who speaks to a reasonable number of pilots of these off-forum, but which should not exist because certified types are supposed to be bonded. How comms ever work in unbonded types (homebuilts, or VFR-only certifieds), is a mystery to me. And indeed they often don’t. I recall one case where they had a GNS430 and never got it working beyond a few miles range. I had a similar thing with the rear antenna radio (COM2) when I had too much grease (!) on the elevator bearings and the static was jumping across them.
But you aren’t going to solve that with a second radio because it will probably do the same.
No 8.33 requirement until 2025 in Norway
Not in Norway, at least. http://www.flynytt.no/artikler/luftfartstilsynet-tar-i-bruk-unntaksregel-norske-flygere-kan-spare-millioner/366763.
Until December 31 2025 there will be no change, but from that date everyone must have 8.33 in Norwegian airspace.
Wording like
Until December 31 2025 there will be no change, but from that date everyone must have 8.33 in Norwegian airspace
suggests to me what everybody will ignore it till Dec 30 2025 and then there will be a civil war and a compromise will be reached e.g. the deadline will move to 2030 but there will be no need for VFR 
We shall see……… the likes of Norway with its wide open spaces may be able to avoid frequency interference but I don’t think this is likely to be the case in the more aeronauticly crowded parts of Europe.
The politicly cynical might say this is a typical example of the UK adopting EU policy in a hard way while the rest of the states find ways to cushion their industry’s from the results of this ill considered legislation.
However the bottom line is just like the Cessna SIDS program my fleet will get 8.33 & ELT’s fitted verry soon allowing my customers unrestricted access to European airspace.
What I also suspect that early implementation will pay dividends in terms of reliability of the new equipment and asset recovery when disposing of the old equipment in the USA.
The aircraft I fly are certainly in need of new radios. However I think the owner would rather replace then as and when they fail.
Also at present there isn’t as wide range of options as there might be in another year or two.
TKM Michell are supposed to be bringing out a slide in replacement for the KX155 although it has been delayed till 2017.
Trigg are also supposed to be bringing a Nav/Com onto the market but when I last spoke to them they couldn’t give a date as to when.
So any delay even if its only for Class E and G airspace in the UK would at least take the rush out of the deadline. Give buyers a larger range of update options and reduce the risk of expensive rewires when slide in replacements would be an option.
Bathman.
Replacing radios when they fail is not an option if you are a commercial operator, my radio man is booked well into next year with 8.33 work so waiting could mean an aircraft is AOG for two or three months.
For me it is essential to get the radio replacement done in an orderly manor when the the aircraft come in for the annual check.
Having had experience with TKM Michell products I find myself favouring the Garmin unit even at the extra expense of changing a rack, if Trig had a NAV/ COM product on the market I would have taken a chance on that following the faultless track record with their transponders I have fitted. It is unfortunate for Trig but the lack of a KX155 slide in replacement unit will cost them orders form those who like me can’t afford their fleets to be grounded in the hope that the unit is not what Peter calls vapourware.
The big problem with restricting the use to types of airspace is that the radio waves don’t know not to interfere with radios inside that airspace so I don’t see the CAA moving the UK goalposts very far. The one thing that is likely to push the date back a bit is the ability of the avionics industry to supply the demand for new radio instalations.
The CAA are going to accept applications for finance help for 8.33 radios installed since a date in February 2016. I’ve downloaded the document.
( From a link in PP****)
