“the real purpose behind this is to enable UAV surveilance to be introduced more widely, to provide the CAA with a platform for charging ALL aviation and to justify the continued existence of an organsation that is losing its existing responsibilities to EASA. Choose which theory appeals!”
Having been involved in the Mode S issues for some time and having attended a meeting with the CAA on the 15th of this month I have to say the above is not correct. We have already won the battle to stop the CAA from forcing all flying machines to use Mode S, but we will need to do a little more in consultation 2 to keep things sensible. I will post more when the LAA has finished its analysis of the consultation documents, but if you want to fly to France this year you will not need mode S (I have been asked this 1000 times)
Rod1