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Gary, I did not use flight following and I did not talk to anybody. I made sure that I was below the class B airspace but I was within the 30 mile radius. Since I got now a new Garmin 327 transponder in I assume that I have to program it too??? I just took mine out and shoved the new one in and it worked – I guess I am not done yet. Ralf I'd like a little more detail. I assume you were not talking (getting flight following services) to ATC all along, right? I don't know the details of the Class B airspace around Newark, but I also assume you were flying inside the Mode C 30-mile circle, but outside Class B airspace, right? That's the only time I can imagine getting a "Mode C violation." If you were getting flight following services I can't imagine them not telling you they weren't receiving your Mode C return. And, of course, if only the altitude encoding function were inop the Xponder would still be showing reception (blinking light) and would be transmitting a reply. I and my neighbors often fly under the Denver Class B without talking to ATC. hmm.... So, yes, user beware - you could violate the Mode C airspace and never know it - until later. I suppose the only defense would be to talk to ATC whenever anywhere near the 30-mile radius. The other post about ATC getting in a snit because of 20 minutes of radio silence - that's surprising as I've had just that occurrence many times over the years, usually resulting in me looking up the nearest frequency on the chart and recovering communication. But it was usually out in the middle of nowhere, not in Florida (wait, is that also nowhere? :-). I'm surprised FAA is pushing back so hard. Just two examples of a "kindlier and friendlier" FAA, or are we in a new era? I think I know the answer. An anecdote: My transponder replies with my registration number, but I didn't know that until I had flown my ES for 3 years or so, including all over LA. Doing a Xponder cert, the technician asked, "why don't you have the correct N-number programmed?" Huh? So I programmed in the right number - I had been flying for years with me telling ATC one number and my Xponder telling them another. Nobody complained, so I assume they weren't watching. Or? Dear subscribers
Last week I flew from my home airport in Ohio to the Linden Airport
(KLDJ - about 10 miles south of Newark). I flew into this airport IFR
before and I recall the controller asking me if I could finish my flight
VFR because of all the traffic in this area. This time I decided not to
bother anybody and go VFR from the start since the weather was fine.
I had a Garmin 320 transponder and the amber light was happily flashing
all the way to New York. What I did not know was that the transponder
failed and was not sending out a signal....
When I landed the airport stuff came up immediately and told me to call
NY FAA. They filed then a Mode C violation and told me not to move the
plane without permission.
.....
After explaining the FAA that the old transponder failed and I had a
replacement in place I got permission to leave Linden the next day. The
new transponder works and everybody can see me again. The FAA indicated
that since I have a work order for testing the old transponder (Tom
Madden's recommendation) they will drop my charges.
Ralf |
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