Is that too expensve? Surely not, Pace wants me to spend about six times that to fit Mode S.
Fitter I am not letting you get away with that comment!
Firstly I am not talking about flying VMC in gliders I am talking about probably more advanced glider pilots in clouds in hopefully capable gliders.
To your own admission cloud flying gliders are a small proportion. Most fly VMC albeit near cloud where see and avoid can work.
The basis of my thread also included the lack of Radar services which were available through the military with the so called cost cutting streamlining and the reluctance of more civil units offering a radar service OCAS.
That makes us more alone OCAS and more at threat.
I would hold for ALL aircraft in cloud to have a transponder of one kind regardless of type.
I am still of that opinion although slowly being swayed by some of the glider community like Rod 1 who appear to be trying to find a workable solution.
Regarding my heart bleeding for you having to find some money to cloud fly?
Go finance an IMCR, a CPL, an ATPL, a type ratings like some of us as well as some powered pilots who pay a fortune on their aircraft and yours is chicken feed.
You would not fly a single across the atlantic without immersion suits, life rafts etc with the excuse I cannot afford them!
If you cannot afford to be in something as serious as cloud, IMC where we are all blind then stay out and fly VMC where you belong.
Pace