Does this mean "mode-s" ?

[PompeyPaul]

European Mode S Carriage Requirements | Mode S | Airspace Policy (http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=810&pagetype=90&pageid=9752)

he Belgian regulator has stated that for VFR Flights, conducted in airpsace where currently the carriage and operation of SSR transponders is mandatory:

A level 2 transponder is needed with Elementary Surveillance (including SI-code) functionality, as a minimum, compliant with ICAO Annex 10 Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) with effect from 1 January 2011.

[Rod1]

Yes!

Rod1

[HPMan]

I had a bit of a faff last year trying to clarify the situation with Belgium with their own authorities! In the end the conclusion was - as applied to this question here - yes: you will need Mode S if you fly in airspace currently requiring SSR. More simply put, if you intend to fly in a Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ) you will need Mode S. The answer is to avoid the TMZs, providing that is an option in destination/routeing terms, and continue flying without Mode S. Standing by to be shot down by more rule changes which have been buried away by another Himalayan-sized range of mountains....!

[Donalk]

The answer is to avoid the TMZs, providing that is an option in destination/routeing terms, and continue flying without Mode S.

Unfortunately our airspace is quite congested so avoiding TMZ's is sometimes not a viable option. Some of the schools here are cringing at the prospect of having to pour more scarce cash into ageing spam cans. Whats next - cvr's and cdr's??

[BackPacker]

Whats next - cvr's and cdr's??

ELTs.

On mainland Europe flying about without mode-S and without an ELT, while staying on the right side of the law, will become an increasingly difficult exercise in flight planning.

[Rod1]

Most PPL’s only get as far as France, there are no problems with Mode s, and a PLB will do in place of an ELT.

Rod1

[Katamarino]

I thought one of the benefits of Mode-S was that we should not have to use transponder codes any more, as each aircraft could have its own unique code permanently assigned. So why are we still flying around squawking this and that in our Mode-S aircraft?

It seems to me that, as used by ATC today, Mode-S offers absolutely no advantage over Mode-C to us GA pilots - am I missing something?

[Rod1]

“It seems to me that, as used by ATC today, Mode-S offers absolutely no advantage over Mode-C to us GA pilots - am I missing something?”

There are only 2 radars in the UK providing “Mode S” ident (although the feeds go to more than two ATC units). There are no plans to update most of the radars according to local military and civilian controllers in my area. Right now there is no VFR pilot benefit in the UK of Mode C over Mode S, and the only issue is the international situation which appears to be mostly ok depending on which arrears you look at. With Mode s units dropping in price, and possibly starting to be replaced in the US, giving us second hand units, the cost of fit is likely to continue to drop.

Life for non mode C may start to get difficult depending on the TMZ consultations, but that is another issue.

Rod1

[BackPacker]

All radars in the Netherlands have been upgraded to process the Mode-S signals and the Mode-S ID will be displayed on all radar screens.

In fact, you can expect a significant amount of hassle from ATC if your Mode-S transponder transmits a wrong ID. And yes, transits through controlled airspace are now routinely done on a squawk of 7000 instead of something specific - after ATC has validated your callsign, position and altitude with the mode-S readout.

[mm_flynn]

It seems to me that, as used by ATC today, Mode-S offers absolutely no advantage over Mode-C to us GA pilots - am I missing something?


Mode-S elementary (i.e. what we use) offers very little observable benefit to anyone vs. Mode C.

There is fact that Mode-S transponders reply less frequently than Mode -A/C when interrogated by an ACAS system or by compatible ground radar. This has reduces the RF traffic on the transponder frequency, and has a potential benefit that the level of interference on the transponder frequency would become a problem with the increasing use of transponders and ACAS.

There are some potential benefits (over the horizon at the moment) like replacing the squawk code with the aircraft identifier (helping to relieve the European shortage of codes) and support for ADS-B.

In the LTMA they have a nice tool to show the vertical profile of a stack (who is where) in addition to the traditional overlay of all of the targets in the stack painted on top of each other. It maybe Mode-S elementary transponders work in this environment (but it is unlikely that a PA28R is going to be in the LAM Stack!)

Mode-S enhanced does offer some advantages to ATC to help avoid level busts and communication errors (like a different speed or heading being selected vs cleared)

[Radarspod]

There are only 2 radars in the UK providing “Mode S” ident (although the feeds go to more than two ATC units).

Actually NATS have 13 across the UK (3 more underway), Inverness has one, Newquay has one, Belfast City & Warton have ones on the way - and that's the ones I know about.....

There are no plans to update most of the radars according to local military and civilian controllers in my area

Operating Mode A/C only radars in the UK will not be possible from 31st Dec 2011 as all of their operating approvals expire on that date. If there are secondary radar operators (Mil included) that aren't looking to replace, they are going to be in for a shock.

I thought one of the benefits of Mode-S was that we should not have to use transponder codes any more, as each aircraft could have its own unique code permanently assigned. So why are we still flying around squawking this and that in our Mode-S aircraft?

Mode S ELS probably doesn't on the face of it give an immediate benefit until ATC units update their radars and display systems to use Aircraft ID instead of Mode A codes. It is much better for a controller to see lots of blips with a registration attached to it than just lots of blips with A7000. Unfortunately the CAA mandating Mode S radars on the ground from 2012 hasn't forced the ATC units to update their displays to use the Mode S derived data (like Aircraft ID). Also, flight data systems would have to use Flight ID rather than mode A to link flights to flight plans. Until the majority of ATC units are Mode S capable, Mode A codes will have to be used.

From an interoperability point of view the sooner everyone is using the Mode S the better - but I can understand the point of view of a GA operator having to upgrade a transponder with no immediate obvious benefit.

RS