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Spodman
16th Jun 2003, 11:12
We have a rule change coming up requiring a transponder to fly in a whole bunch of airspace where ATC don't have any radar coverage. Despite this ATC are the people to contact if you want approval to fly in this airspace without one.

How would this work where you are if an IFR wanted approval to fly outside radar coverage, or a VFR wanted to fly through a busy bit of E airspace?:confused:

Particularly interested in US viewpoint

Scott Voigt
16th Jun 2003, 13:33
Spodman;

In the US there are other reasons for having a transponder other than for ATC. One of course is for TCAS equipped aircraft, the other could be for DOD / Law Enforcement use... Not everyone looking at your transponder is in ATC.

regards

Scott

Spodman
17th Jun 2003, 11:10
Thanks Scott, that's what I think also. However your AIH (and what I understand of your CFRs) make ATC the contact point for approval. How do you allow for these other factors in your decision, or is it somebody else's call and ATC is just the mouthpiece??

ferris
17th Jun 2003, 20:25
Over here there is a blanket ban on such flights. No transponder, no go. Regularly, some of the older Russian equipment that gets around these parts, have failures. If they are transitting, they cannot enter the airspace. If they have taken off, they have to land. If they are already in the airspace, they generally have to land, as the surrounding FIRs won't accept them. These days it's more of a security issue than anything else, but the decision to allow flights does rest with ATC! Go figure. If the marching types don't like something, they will come and tap us on the shoulder.

You would have to be a psycho to fly around here without one. There are a lot of nervous yanks floating in the moat (remember Iran Air?).

I have a feeling that in oz the rule change might be about revenue. I mean, how would they charge you if the bill didn't automatically pop out of the computer?:=

Scott Voigt
22nd Jun 2003, 07:13
Hi Spodman;

Sorry for the delay, I have been out of town. In the US a transponder is not required to fly IFR. However, it might keep you out of the busier airspace just due to the amount of traffic and the possibilities of not being able to use radar separation with you, especially enroute in class A airspace. But other than that, we handle non-transponder equipped aircraft as we can when we can...

regards

Scott

Spodman
24th Jun 2003, 17:34
g'day Ferris, thanks for your reply.

Thanks also to Scott, it feels a bit creepy to talk to somebody not hiding behind a mask here! What you seem to be saying is the only factor you consider is how you can process the flight. What would you do if a VFR flight requested approval to fly in G airspace above 10,000 (where he requires one, but you don't really give a buggar if he has one)???

Scott Voigt
25th Jun 2003, 05:16
Spodman;

If you are in G ( We don't have a lot of that here. ) then we don't really care what you do... The FAR is not something that we enforce from the ATC perspective. If you have a transponder we use it, if you don't we work around it unless of course you want to go somewhere where there is class B. Then chances are you may be delayed if it is busy...

regards

Scott