MODE S and Europe

[liam548]

Hello all

Hoping to do some Euro trips later this year and was wondering what the current policy is on Mode S. Is it required for flights out of the UK.

I have tried a search and I find info that is valid up to 2009 and 2011 but whats the situation as of spring 2012?


Cheers,

Liam

[lasseb]

I think you need to look at the AIP for whatever countries you plan to visit.
For Germany and Holland mode-S is mandatory for IFR, and VFR above some altitude I have forgotten ;)
But it's all specified in the required equipment section of the AIP

[Jan Olieslagers]

Yes, each country has its own rules.
Don't ask why we have these expensive staff in expensive offices in Brussels. It is not absolutely impossible they might have already turned out some bit of practically useful ruling.

AIUI, Holland has the strictest ruling, most of the country being a Transponder Mandatory Zone from 1200' upwards. And only mode S transponders are any good, someone even told me a mode C may not legally be activated.

[soaringhigh650]

Netherlands seems draconian for aviation in almost every conceivable way.

Why all this Class A airspace everywhere from 1000ft upwards?
Why can't they accept PLB instead of ELT?

The safety of flight is assured by flying high and not to hug the ground at 1000ft.

[cessnapete]

I flew across Holland from Belgium to Germany late last year VFR with only Mode C.
Dutch Mil initially cleared us not above 1500 ft, but noticing all the tall masts about we asked for higher, and transited most of the trip at 3000 ft. Nobody mentioned Mode S.

[Jan Olieslagers]

Well, there do exist some very competent and qualified ATC staff. Several have even repeatedly displayed good will on top of their ability. Actually, there are many such.

Better yet, there exists a thing called good luck.

But you had better not count on either.

[dublinpilot]

Cessnapete,

It appears your experience is similar to most people's.

What you did was illegal in both the Netherlands and Belgium (you haven't given enough info to see if illegal or not in Germany) but nodbody seems to give a damn.

It's illegal to go above 1200ft in the Netherlands without mode S, yet most people report that they are routinely invited to go higher with mode C. You are not even supposed to activate mode C in the Netherlands, but again most people are asked to (as indeed I was in the past too).

According to an AIC issued last year, you need modes S in Belgium, but very few Belgian pilot's whom I've spoken to know about the AIC, and even fewer have mode S.

Oh, and unless you have an installed ELT (PLB isn't good enough) you can't fly into or out of the Netherlands. Flying internally without is fine, but you need it while crossing the border!

[cessnapete]

Germany was the same every FIR region we spoke to cleared us VFR at various heights no 1500 limit. No mention of Mode S and no arrest. We only had PLB with Gps, no ELT.
What a mess European aviation regulation is in !! All in the name of safety of course.

[riverrock83]

All we need to do is standardise everything...
Oh... wait....:{