CaptainMidnight, clearly one of the greatest benefits of TCAS is when air traffic control or pilot error puts two aircraft at the same altitude in the same location at the same time. This is becoming more of a problem because GPS is so accurate, and RVSM is so accurate.
I think if you look at the figures you will find that about 80% of VFR aircraft that mix with 10 to 30 passenger airline aircraft are transponder equipped. By fitting TCAS to these airline aircraft, it is obvious that safety will be improved.
By not supporting the fact that we harmonise our airline rules with that of other leading aviation countries and going off on a track of mandating even more unique transponder requirements for VFR aircraft, you are showing your true colours. That is, delay, delay, delay.
Are you really suggesting that we should mandate transponders for all VFR aircraft? That is, cropdusters?
I believe we should catch up with the rest of the world in relation to airline safety before we move ahead and lead the world.
Having said that, I am certainly supportive of more transponder requirements for VFR aircraft.
I have a proposal which will allow this to happen with funding coming from saving in other means – but some people won’t like that.