Originally Posted by slim_slag
Why would I talk to a controller if shooting practice approaches in VMC at an untowered field? It's class E, no requirement to talk to anybody, or even have a radio. All I need is a safety pilot to keep the flight safe and legal, and see and avoid.
FAR AIM 4-3-21 Practice Instrument Approaches is the reference I'm browsing through.
Surprised you don't have an opinion on the mode S, as earlier you said the US can do things because of Mode C veils. One would expect the same principles to apply in the UK, but that's probably the mistake I am making all along.
I've not checked back but I don't think I said the US can do things because they have Mode C veils, I think the point I was trying to make back then was that we are currently less restrictive here by not insisting on mandatory Mode C carraige near our busiest airports.
I'm a PPL as well as an atco. I think altitude reporting transponders are a good thing near busy CAS, the safety benefits are undeniable. Whether they need to be A/C or S possibly boils down to how many of them are going to be up and about at the same time. I believe there are technical reasons that make Mode S better if there are going to be a lot of transponders up and on at the same time. So if the regulator wants to mandate transponder carraige it's probably not surprising they've chosen S over A/C.
And I like controllers
Top bloke
