I'm not argueing that inclusion of a transponder wouldn't enhance safety. Not at all. However, a LOT of aircraft out there don't have electrical systems, and a lot more don't have TCAS.
What about the rest of the aircraft that don't have electrical systems, or the non-transponder equipped aircraft. Put transponders in all of them? Or just sailplanes? The Reno area, being one of the premier gliding sites in the world, is an area that requires high vigilence. ATIS at Reno warns about it, and aircraft learn of it many miles out. ATC radar may or may not be able to see other traffic in the area, and is limited at lower altitudes due to terrain. ATC may not see that sailplane, and ATC may not see that other aircraft that's experiencing an equipment failure, not equipped at all, or is simply squawking low or off.
But what I'm hearing are pilots bleating that it's far too hard to be required to look outside. Pick the excuse of choice. We're moving too fast. Our view is too limited. We have too high a workload. Our eyes aren't as good. We're asleep half the time. We have TCAS/ATC/the captain/the f/o to do that for us. Ad nauseum. Therefore, why should we be exposed to such hazardous things....let us read our USA today and let the aircraft that doesn't even have an electrical system find a way to power up and shine so that our equipment may find him for us. Any inbound traffic please advise.
I recall an expression that was drummed into our little skulls as Cadets, and still rings true today. No excuse, sir! No excuse.
Condescension, you say. I say the law, there in black and white, clear as day and the schnozz upon your face, irrevocable in nature and equally applicable to the student pilot as to the ATP. See and avoid. But we're sleeping, you say. See and avoid is the law, I say; read it for your self. That's condescending, you say. We have our USA today to read. It's the law, I say, read it for yourself. Not my opinion, but the law. In black and white. But nobody looks outside, you say. You're being condscending, don't expect what isn't reality. Reality is that see and avoid is the law, I say; read it for yourself. You are not exempt, neither am I. If the truth is condescension, then so be it.
In our single engine air tankers, we found that repainting the fleet red and white enhanced visibility greatly, and it became regulatory, right down to the shade of paint and the width of the stripes. And reports are univerally favorable. Perhaps we should require everybody to go to high visibility paint schemes. Perhaps the gliders should power up 250 watt recognition lights on the wings, too. And strobes. Perhaps we should paint that Falcon 50 or Hawker 800XP or G-V white and red, forget the corporate colors or ninety thousand dollar paint job. Perhaps educate corporate and airline and general aviation (in general) regarding glider flying practices and educate glider pilots regarding airways arrival corridors, departure proceedures and STARs. Perhaps sailplanes should all have radios (most do) and should be talking and on a flight plan, and airspace blocks and separations assigned.
Or perhaps the first step is for those with all the gadgets and who scream the loudest to stop sleeping on the job, put down their USA today, wake up to the reality that see and avoid still applies to them, and pry their eyes off the fish finder long enough to do a proper scan outside for traffic.
So long as the gliders will be strapping on transponders, how about if all the corporate and airline traffic straps on parachutes?
Safety.
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