Originally Posted by
Ewfflyer
The second post concerning this is not ADS-B, that is a TIS system. You must be in a service area for TIS, so when you leave it, you get the "Traffic Unavailable" message.
I'm sorry, btu for some reason I'm nor getting what you're saying here? Are ADS-B and TIS separate technologies? Just curious, I honestly don't know the difference between the two.
You want cheap insurance, I highly recommend Flight Following. Ground radar hits more Transponders than TCAS. Basic TCAS still isn't 100%(your antenna location vs. theirs, signal strength,etc). At least ground radar can get primary targets in most locations(which means that guy without a Xpndr or an electrical system)
I'm a firm believer in flight following. I'll soon be a CFI, and I plan to encourage my students to use the service for all their cross country flights. Flight following isn't always available though, and the DHL collision in Europe a few years ago reminds us that controllers can make mistakes too.
Speaking of Slant-X. What about gliders? They are out there. You just have to be vigilant.
My knowledge of gliders ends at the wing aspect ratio. I haven't a clue how much they weigh, and how a TCAS with a battery would affect their performance. I'm sure some workable solution would come up though.
If, as you suggest ADS-B will be cheaper, and can be proven sufficiently reliable, I'd have no problem with using this technology. However, if that's what drives the current TIS installations, I'll say no to it because the service isn't available elsewhere.
Another reason I'd favor TCAS is that ADS-B may not be available elsewhere. If you fly to Grand Cayman for example, there's no terminal radar, so ADS-B wouldn't work.