Glider Crash - Minden?

Eric Greenwell wrote:

Does anyone have an idea what percentage of the VFR
airplanes carry a transponder detector, including the low cost units?
I'd guess a majority of them do, but I haven't seen any numbers. If so,
then a transponder would help you avoid (indirectly, since they would be
doing the actual "avoiding") the majority of VFR traffic.

Locally, two gliders have PCAS/transponders, 2 have transponders only, 1
has PCAS only, and two have neither. Of course, we all have radios and
track each other that way.

I don't remember reading any stats on xpndr detector usage. AOPA may
have something. I expect usage will climb steadily from where it has
been. I'm the only one I know with a PCAS unit (no transponder, yet),
but I have not conducted a survey of glider pilots in our club. I should
do so.


Jack

Mike Schumann wrote:


It's really too bad that the FAA is phasing out TIS. I suspect that almost
everyone who is buying or upgrading to a glass cockpit or even a Garman 430
/ 530 would have taken a really hard look at springing the extra $3-4K for a
Mode S transponder to get the traffic info.

I have TIS. Yes it is a shame that the FAA is phasing it out and the
reaonsing is stupid but intelligence has never been in high supply at
the FAA to begin with. If it were we would have been transitioning
to ADS-B 20 years ago rather than crap technology like TCAS.