On Dec 14, 7:37*pm, jcarlyle wrote:
John,

I started with the Zaon MRX 2.5 years ago. It was a real eye-opener,
in that I suddenly found out that my scan wasn't detecting anywhere
near the traffic that was out there. Nine months ago I installed a
transponder. I've since watched traffic I was following deviate a bit
to avoid me. Both devices have added markedly to the phrase "see and
be seen".

Now, I fly in an area between Philadelphia, PA and Newark, NJ. To say
it's busy is an understatement. If you were just staying in Alliance,
I'd say you'd be fine with something like the MRX. But at Minden?
Boulder? Get a transponder, too!

What do you figure your life is worth? For about $3000 you can cover
both options.

-John

John Murphy wrote:
Dear All:

I fly a G102 out of Alliance, Nebraska, for most of the year. *Other
than a daily commercial shuttle flight from Denver, there is almost no
traffic at the airport or in the area where I soar. *There are no
other gliders at all. *However, from time to time I'll come into
contact with powered traffic, mostly casual fliers, crop dusters, and
hunters.

A couple times a year I take my glider to other locations, usually in
areas with a lot more traffic both in terms of other gliders,
commercial aircraft and general aviation. *I've taken my glider to Air
Sailing, Boulder, and Moriarity, and hope to take it to Minden,
Parowan and other locations in the near future.

My G102 is in excellent shape, and I've put quite a bit into it. *With
two kids in college and one who just entered third grade (good
spacing), this glider will be with me for awhile . . . *at least 10
years.

I'm looking at installing either a transponder or PTD. *I've read Eric
Greenwell's excellent article on the Soaring Safety Foundation's web
site about the differences, but I need some assistance in deciding
between the two.

The cost difference ($2500 vs. $500) isn't my primary concern. *Its
signficant, but since I'm going to keep the glider for awhile its not
dispositive. *I can afford one or the other, but not both.

My primary concern is that a transponder won't tell me where other
planes are and how to aovid them and is dependant on me being hooked
into a tower. *On the flip side, I'd really, really like the big
planes traveling fast toward Reno approach to know where I am during
my one or two weeks there in the spring.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. *Thanks, John Murphy, N184SS.



Well try to buy both, and in the big picture a PCAS unit is not that
much more to add to the price of a transponder. It might equate to the
cost of a few long tows or an extra weekend at the gliderport. If you
can't buy both...

You will have to assess what the most critcal risk is, however if you
fly in high traffic areas even for a few weeks a year, with lots of
fast jet traffic nearby I'd say it's no contest, get the transponder
first. Fast jet traffic should be able to avoid you (combination of
controller involvement and TCAS) much better then you avoiding it.
PCAS while great may just not give you such great warning with a fast
jet traffic and you may not see it in time let alone work out what to
do. At least the TCAS in the jets (or most of them) give the pilot a
pretty good idea what to do to avoid you even if they can't see you.

If you fly around the Reno area now hopefully you are following the
Reno approach glider procedures and contacting approach etc. so you'll
be pretty aware of the sickening amount of fast jet traffic in the
area at times. Once you have a transponder you'll be even more aware
of hearing and seeing that traffic being routed around you. And
nothing too quick is likely to happen with ADS-B to supplant your Mode-
C transponder so it remains a good investment for long into the
future.

I would have kind of hoped the culture of flying around Minden and the
Reno area would have impressed how good an idea a transponder was.
Personally I wish they were mandatory in areas around Reno (I don't
want to lose access to those areas because non-transponder equipped
glider is involved in a collision with a passenger jet). We were very
lucky the ASG-29 and Hawker collision involved no fatalities.

Darryl