Mode S IMC question

[Leclairage]

I fly an a/c owned by an IFR rated commercial pilot.
I am a humble IMC rated PPL

We both seek to know whether or not Mode S is required for IMC flight after March 2007 as it will be for IFR

Varying 'views' abound about this - can anyone give definitive direction on this and ideally guide me to source material ?

Many thanks in anticipation.........

[Flybywyre]

If you do a Pprune search on this you will find a wealth of information. There is no distinction made between VMC and IMC in respect to mode S.

[Leclairage]

Thank you, Flybywyre.

I am a pprune search virgin, so thanks for the tip

[Curtis E Carr]

AIC 88/2001 (http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/pubs/aip/pdf/aic/4Y155.PDF) would be a good start followed by AIC 49/2005 (http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/pubs/aip/pdf/aic/4Y155.PDF) (you need to register with AIS to access these).

Also, this CAA page (http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=810&pagetype=68&groupid=815) may be useful.

[IO540]

The above is for the UK. Mode S introduction abroad is another matter and may happen sooner than the UK, or later, according to the airspace.

IMHO, anybody wishing to fly IFR outside the UK should fit Mode S right now.

[bookworm]

We both seek to know whether or not Mode S is required for IMC flight after March 2007 as it will be for IFR

Not sure you mean what you've actually written. All flight in IMC must be under IFR, unless it is a flight under SVFR in a control zone.

In the UK, Mode S is currently required only for flight in the London TMA (which is necessarily under IFR). An exemption exists until 31 March 2007, but from that date, it should still only be flight in the LTMA that requires a Mode S transponder. Other airspace may subsequently become mandatory-Mode-S in due course, but I very much doubt that any of it will be airspace in which an IMC-rated pilot is permitted to fly under IFR (Class D/E) any time soon.

This thread (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=261966) has more info.

[Leclairage]

Thanks, bookworm - yes, I did mean exactly what I wrote. My own view being that it WOULD be necessary for the very reason you give, i.e. that all flight in IMC is under IFR.

Thank you for your kind contribution.
Best,
Leclairage.