QUOTE
I have yet to see a single pertinent argument as to why a slow, highly visible, low flying, microlight, paramotor or powered hang glider, that only flies in the open FIR during daylight and good weather, should be forced into this expenditure
UNQUOTE
How about this:
2 of the most serious safety incidents to affect civil commercial aircraft so far this year have been:
1) A paramotor in controlled airspace in the middle of the climbout lane of a regional airport which was only just missed by a DH8 departing. The DH8 had no time to take avoiding action.
1) A motor glider at FL80 in controlled airspace overhead another regional airport which was just missed by a regional jet.
Both of these were in 'daylight and good weather'; they had just missed out the 'open FIR' bit. Neither of them were visible on radar or TCAS and would have been unable to manoeuvre quick enough to avoid a collision.
I'm afraid that the crass stupidity or dogmatic attitude or even "
The whole thing makes me want to vomit. I shall not switch it on most of the time. As I have said before, what are they going to do? Send the police to the rough area where my non-mode S transponding aircraft disappeared from the screen and try and arrest me?" approach is doing us no favours. If EVERYONE kept in the bits they should do there would be no risk, but they don't.
You may object to spending £5k on a bit of equipment, but if that ultimately helps another aircraft see you and avoid you (using ATC radar support or TCAS), then how does that cost compare to the cost of your life or those of unsuspecting fare-paying passengers (we are all those at some time) who have a right to expect to get from A to B without the risk of being wiped out by some unseen aircraft who is where he shouldn't be?!
