Mode S Transponder Helicopter takeup - user poll

[chopperchappie]

With a few months before the expiry of Mode S exemption in UK I am still not seeing that many helis with Mode S transponders fitted.

Just wondering if it's down to the fact that I mainly fly privately owned machines, but specifically I am wondering if people are just going to not bother or what?

So just a show of hands - who has Mode S installed and who doesn't and/or what's your experience of what you've seen?

Who thinks they are going to fit Mode S in the next weeks/months and who thinks they are not going to bother (I assume you can still fly outside Class A with mode A/C).

I have been looking at a replacement but haven't ordered one yet.
I have a King KT76C fitted and like it, discussions with my maintainer have pointed at the Garmin/Trigg options but nether are ideal.

Any SPECIFIC good/bad experiences with Garmin/Trigg etc?


CC

[muffin]

I very reluctantly replaced my KT76 with a Trig because I was under the impression that it was mandatory (I later found out that it wasn't for what I do). It seems to work fine but has no purpose whatsoever other than announcing your registration to those ATC units equipped with it.

My fixed wing aircraft still has Mode C and that is how it is going to stay.

[FLY 7]

Yes, preplaced with Garmin 328.

But, partly because I had a use for the removed BK Mode C in another a/c.

[chopperchappie]

FLY7

How are you finding the Garmin ?

On Paper - We liked the idea of the numeric button entry but disliked the cost and need to re-engineer the tray etc.

I think a few other people had comments about reliability - but nobody was specific. Any issues there ?


CC

[Thomas coupling]

Chopperchappie, it is very simple: If you want to or have to fly into Class A,B,C, then you MUST fit Mode S. No option. If you permanently fly outside this airspace, you don't need it. Simples. Nothing to do with "private aircraft"???

[wallism]

We have two R44s and both have Garmin 328/330 (I forget) and they just work, both a/c are late 2005 when people thought they would be mandatory so installed them from new. Yes button entry makes life easy and a single press of 'VFR' to dial up 7000 is good as is 'auto on' but it's a high price to pay for that!

[206 jock]

I had a Garmin 330 fitted when I had new avionics fitted when I bought my aircraft in the USA in 2007...when it was £1=$2.1!

Made sense at the time:eek:

[chopperchappie]

TC

Yes - I knew that Mode S was required for class A and I thought that you still technically don't even need a transponder to fly in open FIR although I wouldn't do it by choice - that isn't quite what I meant - what I meant was that private aircraft are less likely to be flying into class A airspace (do we have any B and I don't recall using C ?) anyways - I also assumed that private owners would be more inclined to leave it to the last minute.

My old heli only has a mode A - even though mode C has been around ages.

We need to fit a Mode S as the aircraft often flies through London class A (either as a private flight or on an AOC passenger carrying flight).

Hence the interest to know if fitting one in a privately owned heli is going with or against the grain generally vs. a commercially owned/operated, just because I haven't seen many so far. Are people just saying they wont bother and not fly in class A at least for now?

I just wondered if there is going to be a sudden shortage of properly equipped helis and get some feedback on the Garmin and/or Trig (which is probably what we'll end up with).

CC

[FLY 7]

The Garmin 328 is very good. In a helicopter the I much prefer the simple numeric buttons

[oldjetbox]

Just replaced my 'King with a Trig TT31. Straight plug out - plug in. I am told this is not so with the Garmin boxes. Also, built in the UK which helps us all in a small way.

[chopperchappie]

OJB

How do you find the twisty knob entry - that's what we didn't like about the Trig
seems to be taking the pilots attention away from flying for more than a second or so and not so easy to punch in as the ATC gives the squalk.

"built in the UK" - I thought they were Scottish ;)
- reference to other recent thread on Scottish National Police Helicopter Service !

CC

[oldjetbox]

Chch, I had the same reservations at first, but like anything else, got used to it very quickly - better than spinning the numbers the wrong way on the old box (which we all do) and it has a 7000 button, and a good stopwatch and timer so that helps. Pretty pointless purchase for up here though - haven't come across a Mode S controller yet. As for Scotland - shame about the rugby result.

[John R81]

EC120 switched from KT76 to Garmin 330 over a eyar back. It did need the tray change, but not that much of a problem. I do like the keypad. No problems in operation.

I also regularly fly 2x R44 both with Garmin 328 fitted.

Being based at Redhill with frequent zone entry and crossings there was not choice.

(if anyone wants a KT76 PM me!)

[JimBall]

All our helis now have Mode S. (Class A and northern Europe airspace) Tried Trig - no good in a heli for reasons stated above. Garmins are expensive but very easy to use.
Got several hundred pounds for the Mode Cs on eBay.
Wish the CAA would not publish the hexa codes publicly on G-INFO. Major national security hole.

[chopperchappie]

JimBall

"Tried Trig - no good in a heli for reasons stated above"

Twiddlly knob distracting the pilot for too long?


There seems to be a lot of information available in the public domain on government websites like G-INFO and Companies House which (if compared to DVLA) people would otherwise freak out about.

This does of course aid the scammers look like they actually own the aircraft they are "selling" and the only thing that is missing, is the ability to verify that the owner is actually the owner (e.g. some kind of authentication mechanism).

CC

[JimBall]

"Twiddlly knob distracting the pilot for too long?"

Yep - seems designed for the fixed wings and not the "dynamically unstable" brigade! Did they consult a heli pilot in the design process?

[Colibri49]

For what it's worth, some 10 years ago I bought a Garmin#? (not Mode S) to replace a failed Narco#?. It was sold with an adapter which enabled me to slot it straight into the Narco tray and it has worked perfectly since.

It might be possible to get similar adapters for a Garmin to slot into the trays of other makes. The reason it was possible in my situation is that the Garmin was shorter in "depth" and therefore there was room to include an adapter in the Narco's deep tray.

[toptobottom]

Been using the Garmin GTX328/330 boxes for years with no probs. Reliable, easy to use and cheap. Well, reliable and easy to use anyway :E