Dick,
the Class G airspace trial was allowing us to use radar for the first time in what had previously been flight service airspace, where the flight service officers were not allowed access to a radar screen.
That may have been the case but is irrelevant.The issue is "trialling" airspace for a short time and then, because there's no midairs, saying it's OK. You rekcon it was Ok for the G trial, but not for Willy over XMAS. You're being inconsistent.
are you really suggesting that by bringing in a mandatory radio and transponder requirement at low levels, we can get the same level of safety as a tower with approach radar?
No. Your psychic powers are still OK. But then again, your ace-of-the-base aviator, with his radio on the wrong freq
and his transponder off (in contravention of the TRA rules) would probably still clobber the other aircraft despite the fact that a tower was operating. I'd be impressed to find an ATCO who could simultaneously visually scour the sky in all directions watching out for midairs involving your ace. The only saving grace would be a skin paint off the radar, which the CAGRO should be able to use anyway. Some things were never meant to fly, and I suggest that the clown you refer to falls into that category.
All that said, with 44 RPT movements a day (assuming not many in the wee hours), why the $%^& wasn't the tower running??
