Redhill and Gatwick: transponders off, mode A or mode C?
Hi!
As a regular flyer from Redhill Aerodrome, I have always been advised by my elders and betters (i.e. almost everybody!) that I should keep the transponder off whilst in the circuit, 7000A only while under the Gatwick CTA and 7000C outside the CTA.
At first this seemed sensible - Redhill is right under many of the SIDs from Gatwick, and I can well imagine that our ATPL friends aren't too keen on getting TCAS alerts from PPL pilots on climb-out directly underneath them, but the more time I spend reading posts here the more I'm starting to question this advice.
So - what would the controllers at Gatwick like us to do? Have I been doing it "right" all along? Should I stick Mode C on unless it's a circuit detail? Mode C all the time?
On a related note, I sometimes fly a track around the edge of the Gatwick CTA, just out of controlled airspace, with 7000C selected. Usually I talk to Farnborough Radar down the western side of Gatwick, Shoreham for FIS on the south and and switch back to Redhill for FIS on the eastern and northern edges. Would Gatwick prefer me to identify myself to them so they know who the blob is just outside their zone?
All comments welcomed!
MD.