once&futr_alaskaflyer wrote: I wanna be RVSM

RVSM is pretty cool these days when your flying on the airlines. I fly alot between LAX and Boise and it's cool to catch another airliner (sometimes a military jet ) pass by very close. Anyway, just a little off topic.

In case anyone wonders, I've seen Bonanza Man land his V-tail Bonanza much, much shorter than the more typical back country planes we're used to seeing. And this is on back country stips too. At a recent fly-in at Ryan's in Montana he was stopped in half the distance two C 180's used minutes ahead of him. In fact he landed almost as short as I landed my Cub. I was impressed.

mr.helix wrote:In case anyone wonders, I've seen Bonanza Man land his V-tail Bonanza much, much shorter than the more typical back country planes we're used to seeing. And this is on back country stips too. At a recent fly-in at Ryan's in Montana he was stopped in half the distance two C 180's used minutes ahead of him. In fact he landed almost as short as I landed my Cub. I was impressed.

Actually, no, we weren't really wondering.

1SeventyZ wrote:

mr.helix wrote:In case anyone wonders, I've seen Bonanza Man land his V-tail Bonanza much, much shorter than the more typical back country planes we're used to seeing. And this is on back country stips too. At a recent fly-in at Ryan's in Montana he was stopped in half the distance two C 180's used minutes ahead of him. In fact he landed almost as short as I landed my Cub. I was impressed.

Actually, no, we weren't really wondering.

That's funny, Zane! I thought I went off topic a little.

I have no doubt BMan is correct from the controllers' perspective.

That said, I always file /U for transponder with Mode C. I figure that is a more relevant piece of information for a VFR airplane than the fact that I have a portable GPS. For VFR airplanes, these transponder equipment codes are the PROPER codes to use, since ALL IFR flights must have an encoding transponder anyway. All the other codes (other than the ones related to transponder and encoder) are IFR codes, while the transponder related codes are VFR codes. A /G code is, for all practical purposes an IFR code. Again, I doubt anyone really cares in real life, and it's not like they're coming to check out your airplane to verify you didn't lie. I assume the IFR codes are to provide a controller with information on which procedures or routes an IFR pilot might be able to accept. If you're VFR, it's just filling a box.

My understanding has always been that you should not file /G for a non-IFR approved GPS unit, but I have no doubt that information is probably irrelevant to the controller for a VFR flight.

On the other hand, if you're on a VFR flight, and don't show up, they'll be looking at transponder hits along your route of flight if there are any radars there, and you filed /U or whatever other transponder code is appropriate.

MTV

A transponder is not a requirement for an IFR flight. It makes it a lot tougher, but it's not required.

You are essentially correct. Now, try filing IFR without a transponder... How many IFR operations do you handle per YEAR that don't have a transponder?

Here is the actual wording from the equipment suffix definition for /G: "Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), including GPS or WAAS, with enroute and terminal capability." So, if this is for VFR, why do they discuss what are clearly IFR designations of GPS equipment, ie: "with enroute and terminal capability"? No portable GPS is approved for either enroute or terminal capability. These are IFR designations and definitions.

Again, I doubt that a controller cares.

The point, however, is what you put on your flight plan. And if you have only a portable GPS, you should NOT file /G.

Call your legal folks, I'd be curious to see what they say.

MTV