I'm just getting up to speed on this mode s stuff because i'm just about ready for my first cross country. so this post will be devoid of techie talk since I don't know any
The problems as I see it (keeping my ears tuned around the (gliding) club are
1) cost
2) power consumption
3) time scales
4) perception of the future
Cost/power/timescales - well someone said in an earlier post "I'm sure someone will come up with a reasonably priced piece of kit eventually" OK - but the problem is there's a deadline to all of this and "eventually" might be too late to stop me (and many others) having to pay more than my 30 yr old glider is worth. I understand the safety concerns- being part of the explosives industry we are awash with health and safety regs to the point where a show previously costed at £1500 now costs around £7,500 to avoid a possible accident where the risk is estimated at around 8 million to 1, not quite as bad as trying to win the lottery but getting close. Has anyone actually done a cost versus risk analysis. How many prox's, how many hits involving gliders. If the current status quo was maintained, what would be the risk to those 200 passsengers mentioned in an earlier post
But the main worry in all I hear is more to do with the future and what might happen. We hear rumours that the budget airline community would dearly love to be able to fly in straight lines between regionals. So the big question is - is this the thin end of the wedge? is our sport about to be "control Airspaced" out of existence? Can anyone give assurances that gliding as a sport will still be around in 20 yrs time
BTW - We have been told that those who are to gain commercially from these new measures will be footing the bill for implementation, so can anyone tell me who I send my invoice to for my shiny new transponder
