IFR in experimental/homebuilt - new to homebuilt world

[Auburntsts]

Not exactly -- currently a transponder is only required in airspace that requires it. You can do a lot of VFR flying in most of the country without one. And while technically it's not required for IFR flight, the practical limitions of tryung fly in the system without one basically make it a mandatory requirement.

[Marc Zeitlin]

Not exactly -- currently a transponder is only required in airspace that requires it. You can do a lot of VFR flying in most of the country without one. And while technically it's not required for IFR flight, the practical limitions of tryung fly in the system without one basically make it a mandatory requirement.

Agreed - thanks for the correction. If you always stay out of airspace where a transponder is required, then you don't have to turn it on and you don't have to have a 91.413 check. Some subset of the flying population fits in that category, for sure. I mostly deal with folks that do fly in tranponder required airspace, so that's my reference point.

Thanks again for the clarification.

[FlyingRon]

Not quite Marc. If you don't fly in the class A, B, C, or within the mode C VEIL, OR above 10,000' you don't need a transponder.
If you HAVE a transponder, you are required to have it on any time you are in any controlled airspace (which includes the blanket of class E that covers most of the lower 48).

[Marc Zeitlin]

Not quite Marc. If you don't fly in the class A, B, C, or within the mode C VEIL, OR above 10,000' you don't need a transponder.
If you HAVE a transponder, you are required to have it on any time you are in any controlled airspace (which includes the blanket of class E that covers most of the lower 48).

That was what I thought for a long time too, until Todd's post made me go look up 91.215. 91.215(b) says that you need a transponder in in the airspaces you list above. So that's in agreement. I also thought that if you had a transponder, it had to be on, and of course if it was on, it had to meet the requirements of 91.413. But for the life of me right now I can't find the requirement that "if you have a transponder in the plane, it must be turned on". Where is that? Am I going senile? 91.215(c) says that ... Oh, Crap - there it is... the "or in all controlled airspace" clause in 91.215(c) - missed that the first time checking.

If you have a transponder, it must be on except in class G airspace, and if it's on, you need a 91.413 check.

Thanks for making me look again...

Sheesh.

[kellym]

Am I going senile? 91.215(c) says that ... Oh, Crap - there it is... the "or in all controlled airspace" clause in 91.215(c) - missed that the first time checking.

If you have a transponder, it must be on except in class G airspace, and if it's on, you need a 91.413 check.

Thanks for making me look again...

Sheesh.

And if you have an ADSB-out box, it must be on at all times, even Class G and when taxiing. (91.225(f))

[Andre Durocher]

What about an easier IFR rating for private pilots? The european EIR (Enroute IFR Rules= T-O in VMC, fly in or above the clouds and land in VMC). Maybe not less intruments in the cockpit but less study and training. Who needs an IFR ticket when 80% of the time the IFR flights are done in VMC.
Transport Canada and COPA are studying the case. Andre.

[FlyingRon]

How many threads are you going to post your inane question to? This is not how discussions work.

[Dana]

If you have a transponder, it must be on except in class G airspace, and if it's on, you need a 91.413 check.

So if you have a transponder, but it hasn't been checked as required by 41.413, and you're flying in class E airspace where the transponder isn't required... the regs don't see to give an out, off or on, either way you're in violation?

[Marc Zeitlin]

So if you have a transponder, but it hasn't been checked as required by 41.413, and you're flying in class E airspace where the transponder isn't required... the regs don't see to give an out, off or on, either way you're in violation?

That's my interpretation of the regs. Now, as I tell my customers, there are no transponder police, so the chance of getting in trouble either because your transponder is off or because it hasn't been checked in 17 years is pretty small, but yeah - you'd be in violation. I've inspected airplanes in which the transponder had NEVER been checked in the 25 years since the plane was given an AC, and I've talked to folks who turn their transponder off when they feel like it for various unmentioned reasons - I've never talked to anyone that's ever been written up for either reason. Not a recommendation to do it - always recommend being in compliance with the regs, even if the chance of being violated is tiny.