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Old 6th Jun 2004, 12:14
  #59 (permalink)  
valenii
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
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I'm trying to figure out if this is intended seriously or is just a pure troll. I have never seen a convincing argument for not using mode Charlie in the cruise when it is fitted, but it's an odd argument to suggest that a huge portion of the UK fleet be forced down into the weeds so that the 1%, if that, of pilots with TCAS-type systems don't have to bother looking out of the window, safe in the knowledge that their gizmo will pick up all traffic for them. Forcing everything down low is daft, for both safety and noise reasons. Maybe in 2008 you'll have your wish for Mode-S in all aeroplanes, but I rather suspect that even then you'll still need to keep eyes outside when in the open-FIR; i'd be amazed if every microlight, glider and baloon has to have Mode-S, and I remain hopeful that parts of the PFA fleet will be exempt too.
Evo

I was quite serious. We are at a step change in the industry, where Technically Advanced Aircraft are now out selling traditional ones. As we go through the change, there will be those that "mock" the advantages of these planes and try to hold back progress. As an example about two years ago Pilot Magazine ran an editorial arguing that the CAPS system was just a waste of 100lb of payload. They failed to see that it was fitted in light of a "whole new design", and the other factors such as less drag etc actually made the "whole" aircraft more efficient than the old style - even with the CAPS!

Likewise people think that a Cirrus pilot depends on his TCAS system to save himself looking out the window.... This is rubbish, we are pilots trained in the same way as everyone else, like all pilots we push ourselves to look out the window and fly as safely as possible. However I have been in many many situations especially in the london area, when I have been looking as hard as I can, but not seen anything. 7 times out of ten, the TCAS system helps me find a real threat that I may not have otherwise found. The other 3 times out of ten I look just as hard, but due to the fact the target has no mode C I often fail to see him. I KNOW that other pilots DO NOT SEE half the traffic I look for....

Not having mode C does not just confuse aircraft with TCAS it also confuses ATC. Soon we will have to upgrade to mode S as you suggest, this will dramatically bring down the price of second hand mode C kit.

In my opinion mode A is just a pain. Why not have negative transponder or mode C?

My comment about the CAPS pilot "walking away" was tongue in cheek, but meant to highlight that the designers of Cirrus aircraft have deliverately tried to address issues that cause GA fatalities, namely CFIT, loss of control in VFR into IMC, inadvertant spins, Collisions, and Airframe failure.

I was good friends with Pete MacNeil who died in the C310 at Soloflight earlier in the year. I don;t know what happened but am sure if he was in a CAPS equipped aircraft he would be alive today.

Ian

BTW isn't a troll someone who hides his identity?? thats not me!
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