PS
Now, I am wading my way through the RIA document, with all it's shpeel about safety safety safety .....
Couple of things spring to mind. ....
CAA continually bang on about increased safety and wanting to reduce regulated airspace ..
So here's a couple of scenarios ....
Scenario 1
OK, I fit Mode S.
Johnny Tornado is exempt and doesn't have to - Johnny Tornado hammers around low-level, then zoom climbs through an advisory route from low level (pops up from below radar cover) causing men, women and children to be flung about in the back of an EZY737 (mode S and ACAS equipped) dropping into Inversneckie. Johnny Tornado (oblivious to the mayhem) then descends low level hammers round a couple of valleys and smacks into me (below radio and radar cover) just as I take off from Loch Tay.
Did Mode S make my flight safer ?
Did it make the 737s flight safer ?
Did it make the Tornadoes flight safer ?
Am I pissed off ?
Scenario 2
OK, I fit mode S. Johnny Tornado fits mode S and ACAS.
Same sortie - perhaps Johnny Tornado is now aware of the EZY737 ?
Perhaps JT is now aware of me coming round the corner ?
Perhaps we don't die, and save the £6m cost of loss of planes and life.
Then I can begin to see a benefit.
Scenario 3
Regional Airport near Glasgow with a large Class D Zone extending from surface all the way up to FL245. But IFR traffic into said airport cannit be descended under radar below 3000' unless within the final approach area. So, why not release that huge chunk of airspace below say 2500' outside of the final approach to VFR aircraft with Mode S ?
Scenario 4
The Highlands Restricted Area. Some of the most stunning landscape, (comprising about 50% of the area of the highlands), prohibited to light aircraft from 3pm, 4 days a week, because of military low flying (despite the fact that more low-flying actually goes on outside the HRA). This holds back any development of aircraft touring round Scotland.
But, if all military were to carry ACAS and Mode S, and if I was to too .... then why not open it up and allow free access .... ?
If I genuinely believed that this was not just some one way process to over control and over regulate for the sake of it, I would say yes.
But if the benefits are what the CAA say, then they should be willing to fund this for those benefits alone. The cost of a mid-air might be saved instantly.