The FAA is now accepting comments on an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) that would eliminate the current transponder exemption for gliders. The measure was driven by an August 2006 accident in which a NetJets-operated Hawker 800XP suffered a nonfatal midair with a glider as well as the approximately 45 near-collisions involving gliders that took place between 1988 and 2014, according to the agency.
In its findings on the accident, the NTSB recommended the FAA remove the exemption, stating, “Transponders are critical to alerting pilots and controllers to the presence of nearby traffic so that collisions can be avoided.” Though the glider was equipped with a transponder, its pilot had the unit shut off at the time of the accident to conserve battery power. In addition to asking whether aviation stakeholders feel gliders should be requireded to comply with transponder rules and equipage, the agency is also exploring whether they should require ADS-B equipment as well. The FAA acknowledges that such implementation could impose significant costs on the glider community. The comment period closes on August 17.