Case study – RV6
RV-6 owner and pilot Mark Strahler is an enthusiastic pilot who fitted a Trig transponder to his homebuilt. Mark is based at Falcon Field, just south of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. Home of Delta Airlines and Air Tran Airways – Atlanta’s Airport is the busiest airfield in the US, so local pilots are mixing with all types of traffic under the veil of class B airspace. Falcon Field has a fleet of around 134 airplanes, ex- military and airline pilots are part of this thriving flying community. Mark said “In these busy skies whilst a transponder is a basic government requirement I really appreciate the TT31’s traffic reporting function. With its Mode S and ADS-B capability it fits the bill and complies with FAA requirements, so I feel I am ahead of the game complying with the 2020 mandate”.
With its Mode S and ADS-B capability it fits the bill and complies with FAA requirements, so I feel I am ahead of the game complying with the 2020 mandate”.
However, Mark may never have taken to the air had he not made a chance discovery as a student in 1976. He was studying at the University of Illinois; one of the college departments was the highly regarded Institute of Aviation. “I was studying on an unrelated business course, to my surprise I was offered the chance to fill a spare slot and get a subsidised pilots licence through the Institute of Aviation. I really enjoyed seeing my fellow students getting on the bus to college each day whilst I went flying, it was the best college leaving present I could have had!”
Achieving his wings was the start of Mark’s flying adventures. He’s since toured the States, and learnt formation flying and aerobatics too. Mark currently owns and flies a Vans RV-6. He was all set to start building a kit when he came across an immaculate flying example that a local pilot was offering for sale. “It was perfect and I had to buy it” Mark said, “a friend recommended I fit the TT31 transponder in my new aircraft, the installation was pretty straightforward, it was exactly the same opening as I had in the panel so there was no modification required.” Mark has little doubt about the value of his Trig unit, “It improves your situational awareness and any help you can get whilst flying makes it worthwhile”. Mark most enjoys his aerobatic flying and operating his TT31 as part of normal part of his flying routine, “It’s performing as it’s supposed to, the unit components are of high quality, it’s a great alternative to other transponders on the market, I’m ADS-B ready and I’m happy to recommend it!”
Shot of Mark, ADS-B equipped above Atlanta airport
Mark enjoying formation flight
Mark is part of the thriving Vans community