Mode S to become requirement?

[Bob Chilcoat]

There has been talk of making Mode S a requirement sometime in the future.
Our transponder is giving trouble again. Does it make any sense to consider
putting in a Mode S transponder now, if we have to replace ours? We can get
a yellow-tagged Mode C transponder or even a new exchange from Narco
reasonably cheaply (for avionics, that is), but will it become a boat anchor
when (if?) Mode S becomes a requirement. Thoughts?

Thanks

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
America

[kage]

Bob,

I'd buy the Garmin TPX 330, with the thought of TRAFFIC.

Next best thing to TCAS, and in at least one way, better. It shows a
direction of flight line that TCAS does not. Of course, you'll also need a
430 to go with for display.

Narco? How do they stay in business. Their radios aren't heavy enough to be
anchors!

Karl

"Bob Chilcoat" > wrote in message
...
> There has been talk of making Mode S a requirement sometime in the future.
> Our transponder is giving trouble again. Does it make any sense to
consider
> putting in a Mode S transponder now, if we have to replace ours? We can
get
> a yellow-tagged Mode C transponder or even a new exchange from Narco
> reasonably cheaply (for avionics, that is), but will it become a boat
anchor
> when (if?) Mode S becomes a requirement. Thoughts?
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)
>
> I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
> America
>
>

[Bob Chilcoat]

Jeeze,

I just checked on the prices of the Garmin GTX 330, and the King
equivalents, and either make is in the $5,000 range. We can get a
pin-for-pin compatable Narco that slides into our existing AT50 tray for
just over $1,000. On that basis alone, I doubt that a Mode S requirement is
coming anytime soon. Sorry I asked.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
America

"kage" > wrote in message
...
> Bob,
>
> I'd buy the Garmin TPX 330, with the thought of TRAFFIC.
>
> Next best thing to TCAS, and in at least one way, better. It shows a
> direction of flight line that TCAS does not. Of course, you'll also need a
> 430 to go with for display.
>
> Narco? How do they stay in business. Their radios aren't heavy enough to
be
> anchors!
>
> Karl
>
> "Bob Chilcoat" > wrote in message
> ...
> > There has been talk of making Mode S a requirement sometime in the
future.
> > Our transponder is giving trouble again. Does it make any sense to
> consider
> > putting in a Mode S transponder now, if we have to replace ours? We can
> get
> > a yellow-tagged Mode C transponder or even a new exchange from Narco
> > reasonably cheaply (for avionics, that is), but will it become a boat
> anchor
> > when (if?) Mode S becomes a requirement. Thoughts?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > --
> > Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)
> >
> > I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
> > America
> >
> >
>
>

[Brian Sponcil]

Well you CAN get a kt-70 mode S from JA Air for $500. Of course it'll be
missing its faceplate which you'll either have to have custom made by a
plastic millwork shop or you can pony up the eyeball exploding $1300 to have
king do it. Either way you're WELL below the $5,000 new units. Of course
you won't get traffic or weather but still....


-Brian
N33431


"Bob Chilcoat" > wrote in message
...
> Jeeze,
>
> I just checked on the prices of the Garmin GTX 330, and the King
> equivalents, and either make is in the $5,000 range. We can get a
> pin-for-pin compatable Narco that slides into our existing AT50 tray for
> just over $1,000. On that basis alone, I doubt that a Mode S requirement
is
> coming anytime soon. Sorry I asked.

[Bob Chilcoat]

Where are these $500 transponders? I have a machine shop in my basement. I
could make a faceplate, although I doubt that the FAA would approve. Are
these things yellow tagged?

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
America

"Brian Sponcil" > wrote in message
...
>
> Well you CAN get a kt-70 mode S from JA Air for $500. Of course it'll be
> missing its faceplate which you'll either have to have custom made by a
> plastic millwork shop or you can pony up the eyeball exploding $1300 to
have
> king do it. Either way you're WELL below the $5,000 new units. Of course
> you won't get traffic or weather but still....
>
>
> -Brian
> N33431
>
>
> "Bob Chilcoat" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Jeeze,
> >
> > I just checked on the prices of the Garmin GTX 330, and the King
> > equivalents, and either make is in the $5,000 range. We can get a
> > pin-for-pin compatable Narco that slides into our existing AT50 tray for
> > just over $1,000. On that basis alone, I doubt that a Mode S
requirement
> is
> > coming anytime soon. Sorry I asked.
>
>

[Jay Masino]

Bob Chilcoat > wrote:
> Where are these $500 transponders? I have a machine shop in my basement. I
> could make a faceplate, although I doubt that the FAA would approve. Are
> these things yellow tagged?

I doubt the FAA would even care about a faceplate. The electronics aren't
changing, and the basic structural mounting of the radio isn't changing.



--
__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino ! ! !
http://www.oceancityairport.com
http://www.oc-adolfos.com

[Turd Furgeson]

You can contact them via their webpage:

http://www.jaair.com/home.php

I got mine via JA Deals on eBay for $499. It comes with an aluminum
facepate that you have to "fix up" to make look nice. If you end up going
that route let me know and I'll tell you what I did with mine.

As mentioned previously the avionics shop and the FAA didn't seem to care a
lick about the lack of a decent faceplate. The 337 went through fine and
the transponder works great. Just looks ugly. BTW - I ended up paying more
for the install than the stupid transponder (new tray, antenna, labor, etc
ended up $800)


-Brian
N33431


"Bob Chilcoat" > wrote in message
...
> Where are these $500 transponders? I have a machine shop in my basement.
I
> could make a faceplate, although I doubt that the FAA would approve. Are
> these things yellow tagged?
>
> --
> Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)
>
> I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
> America
>
> "Brian Sponcil" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > Well you CAN get a kt-70 mode S from JA Air for $500. Of course it'll
be
> > missing its faceplate which you'll either have to have custom made by a
> > plastic millwork shop or you can pony up the eyeball exploding $1300 to
> have
> > king do it. Either way you're WELL below the $5,000 new units. Of
course
> > you won't get traffic or weather but still....
> >
> >
> > -Brian
> > N33431
> >
> >
> > "Bob Chilcoat" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Jeeze,
> > >
> > > I just checked on the prices of the Garmin GTX 330, and the King
> > > equivalents, and either make is in the $5,000 range. We can get a
> > > pin-for-pin compatable Narco that slides into our existing AT50 tray
for
> > > just over $1,000. On that basis alone, I doubt that a Mode S
> requirement
> > is
> > > coming anytime soon. Sorry I asked.
> >
> >
>
>