Transponder needed for Class D airport?

Doss79 · Post by **Doss79** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 9:06 am

Is a transponder needed for a Cub operating at a Class D airport? I thought it was only for Class B and C?

rsteele · Post by **rsteele** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:13 am

I'm sure no expert, but it looks to me like it's possible only if the plane has no engine driven electrical system, and never had one. You have to contact the tower 1 hour (minimum) before entering the air space to receive directions on when and where to operate. This can be by radio or phone. I'd call the tower where I was headed to just to make sure.

(summarized from the EAA web site, it's a full page discussion)

Ron

mikeproctor · Post by **mikeproctor** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:53 am

rsteele wrote:I'm sure no expert, but it looks to me like it's possible only if the plane has no engine driven electrical system, and never had one. You have to contact the tower 1 hour (minimum) before entering the air space to receive directions on when and where to operate. This can be by radio or phone. I'd call the tower where I was headed to just to make sure.

(summarized from the EAA web site, it's a full page discussion)

Ron

I think the EEA article is referring to operating at a class D that is under a mode C veil. I don't think a transponder is required to operate in class D airspace by itself. You do need a radio though or make prior arrangements with the tower before entering the airspace.

CTflyer · Post by **CTflyer** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:23 am

Well, per AOPA, no transponder required in D:

"Class D airspace surrounds airports with operational control towers without Class B or C airspace, and it is generally depicted as a single cylinder. Two-way radio communications are required; a transponder/encoder is not. When the tower is not in operation, the airspace is reclassified as Class E or G airspace."

Here's the source:

http://flighttraining.aopa.org/ft_magaz ... _legal.cfm

Here's a memory aid:

A - Altitude (18,000' or higher)
B - BIG; "Boeing country"
C - Communicated permission required
D - Dialog only; no permission required - just dialog with tower
E - Everywhere else that's controlled
G - Go! - no controls

Hope this helps.
Tom

tadel001 · Post by **tadel001** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 4:57 pm

no. not required.

tech10002 · Post by **tech10002** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:54 pm

I fly out of class D airspace that is both adjacent and underneath busy class C, and we aren't required to have a transponder, though we always squawk VFR. There's a little pie cut so we can depart the airport without talking to departure. The class C is so close that you could throw a rock from the approach end of runway 14 and be violating KSDF class C. LOL

Doss79 · Post by **Doss79** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:56 pm

Thank you guys. That's what I ended up finding out, too.