On Tue, 13 Apr 2004 09:47:20 +0000, John wrote:

I guess one of these newfangled TCAS systems that monitor for nearby
transponder squalks are out of the question since you would have to take
your eyes out of the skies to look at the little led's!

Don't know much about TCAS, but I believe the system has an voice warning
that actually tells you how to maneuver. In any case, most aircraft
current with TCAS have two pilots. TCAS also is tracking transponder
squawks, not radio calls made at 1 minute intervals.

Hey go to the listed web page and look at the display. It only takes a quick
glance at the display to get an idea where its coming from. If you've let
another plane get so close to you that you can't glance at the display to
see where neigboring traffic is then you weren't flying your plane.

But isn't that what the system is for...helping you spot traffic that's
close to you? If I'm two miles from the airport and someone transmits from
the pattern, there's already a relatively narrow arc they can be in.

Here's an experiment for you: Next time you're in a busy traffic pattern,
glance down at, say, the oil temperature gauge, note what the reading is,
then go back to your visual traffic scan. *Every* time there's a
transmission on the radio. Then decide whether looking at a panel-mounted
instrument is a good idea.

My home drome is a very busy uncontrolled airport with a single 3,000-foot
runway. I've been in the pattern with ten other aircraft....don't know how
busy the radio was then, 'cause that was in my NORDO days. But my guts get
a little loose at the prospect of one of those ten other people fiddling
with a gauge on his panel when he should have his eyes open for traffic.

Last I looked the last word in this newsgroup was "homebuilt" to me that
screams "EXPERIMENT", go for it try a new project and enjoy the process and
journey!

And if the LEDs aren't bright enough in the sunlight, go ahead and paint
the windows black. After all, it's just an "experiment."

Actually, I'm not too worried in this case. I think Ken has an interesting
project on his hands, but will find that it probably isn't all that useful
once it's in his airplane. I doubt we'll be faced with a flood of these
things. And he doesn't fly around here. :-)

Ron Wanttaja