There not trying to make all aircraft carry TCAS are they?
No. Just the position/altitude/etc reporting portion. But ADS-B does open up a route to relatively cheap TCAS.
Looks like the RIA document is still a few weeks away.
So what happened to the 2009 VFR deadline? Surely, there should have been an RIA for the mandatory fitting of Mode S for IFR too, no?
Not that, IMHO, Mode S is an issue for an aircraft owner or operator who actually flies. I never understood the "big brother" fuss. The real problem is with planes which don't have an electrical system, and I don't see this has been adequately addressed as yet.
BTW the end user list of a GTX330 is under £2000+VAT. The cheapest possible installation is probably about £300, and could be much more than that if no transponder is fitted already.