GroundBound - Thank you for pointing that out, I was aware of this and simply tried to "be brief". However the point I was making was that this may well be part of an agenda about which we can only guess at this time. But it will come to pass!
Where are the results of the cost/benefit analysis that is supposed to be required before such changes?
IO540 says:
"That's probably true from the GA point of view. But I think that if there were no CAS infringements, Mode S would not be being made mandatory.
What strikes me as slightly bizzare is that we all have to spend £3k (current cost of a Garmin or Honeywell Mode S XP), while we are expected by the "safety is no accident" crowd to navigate around UK airspace with a compass and a stopwatch."
I am sure most of us would agree with the second paragraph but as for CAS infringements one needs to look at the statistics and it is not just GA that gets it wrong occasionally. Considering the number of flights and hours flown GA actually has a very good record. Military on the other hand are "infringers" and they are not required to carry transponders of any kind. Those that do are not required to have them active. CAT also infringe by level busts etc. and so on and so on.
SOOOOO - put these questions to your MP.
1) Why is GA being singled out for a very expensive piece of kit that is of little benefit to GA?
2) Where is the cost benefit analysis?
3) Why are not all airspace users treated the same?
and anything else relevant that better brains than I have may think of.
Educate me someone please