What Suffix??

[USCANAM]

Did a search on this, but came up a little short.
What I did seem to find that when filing a flight plan I could use "RV9A/?"
In my plane I have an Blue Mountain Sport EFIS, Garmin Mode C Transponder, Garmin G530, etc. The 530 is not WAAS, and as of this date, the database is not up to date.
Can I legally use /G or do I use /A?
Thanks
Jack
RV9A
Getting ready to fly to Sun n Fun.

[Ironflight]

My conservative sense says that you can't file /G without an "IFR legal" GPS, and since you don't have a current database, the GPS isn't IFR legal....

Paul

[Radomir]

Also, officially it's RV9 (not RV9A)... they don't seem to care where the third wheel is located

[DGlaeser]

As long as you have determined that the info in your database is still valid for the routes and approaches for your flight (that's the tough part), then you are good for /G. (I've read that, but don't ask me where...)
When in doubt, file /A and note in the comments that you have GPS on board. This is true whether or not you have WAAS.

[USCANAM]

Originally Posted by DGlaeser

When in doubt, file /A and note in the comments that you have GPS on board. This is true whether or not you have WAAS.

Dennis
This seems like the way to go!!
Thanks
Jack

[roee]

Originally Posted by DGlaeser

When in doubt, file /A ...

If I'm not mistaken, /A denotes that you have DME. If you don't have DME, I think you're a /U.

[USCANAM]

Originally Posted by roee

If I'm not mistaken, /A denotes that you have DME. If you don't have DME, I think you're a /U.

Roee
I guess we get into reading between the lines, but isn't a GPS as good, or not better than an old DME unit.
Jack

[Captain_John]

Jack,

A GPS is probably for all intents and purposes BETTER than a DME.

Fact O' the matter is it ISN'T DME soooo, you are better off going slash Uniform for accuracy sake in my opinion.

(FWIW)

CJ

[rvmills]

Looks from this table (from http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraff...5/aim0501.html) that /A (with DME) and /U (without DME) would be correct (assuming no IFR GPS on board).

Same thought ocurred to me on GPS distance readouts as you had Jack...though, like others said, I'm confident it's considered a different animal than DME. Gotta figure that if you're /A, you're legal for an ILS/DME, LOC/DME, etc. approach (one with DME in the approach name), and if you're /U, you're not (and the non-IFR GPS with the mileage readout is just providing SA, not providing any legality for an approach).

Here's the table (which didn't paste well):

Aircraft Suffixes

Suffix Equipment Capability

NO DME

/X No transponder
/T Transponder with no Mode C
/U Transponder with Mode C

DME

/D No transponder
/B Transponder with no Mode C
/A Transponder with Mode C

TACAN ONLY

/M No transponder
/N Transponder with no Mode C
/P Transponder with Mode C

AREA NAVIGATION (RNAV)

/Y LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS with no transponder
/C LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS, transponder with no Mode C
/I LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS, transponder with Mode C

ADVANCED RNAV WITH TRANSPONDER AND MODE C (If an aircraft is
unable to operate with a transponder and/or Mode C, it will revert to
the appropriate code listed above under Area Navigation.)

/E Flight Management System (FMS) with DME/DME and IRU position
updating
/F FMS with DME/DME position updating
/G Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), including GPS or Wide Area
Augmentation System (WAAS), with en route and terminal capability.
/R Required Navigational Performance (RNP). The aircraft meets the RNP
type prescribed for the route segment(s), route(s) and/or area
concerned.

Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM). Prior to conducting
RVSM operations within the U.S., the operator must obtain
authorization from the FAA or from the responsible authority, as
appropriate.

/J /E with RVSM
/K /F with RVSM
/L /G with RVSM
/Q /R with RVSM
/W RVSM


Cheers,
Bob

[DickDe]

Originally Posted by USCANAM

Roee
I guess we get into reading between the lines, but isn't a GPS as good, or not better than an old DME unit.
Jack

From the controllers perspective, the accuracy isn't the point. DME has a slant range factor and the DME ground unit may be located with an ILS system, vortac, or ??. GPS is calculated differently. 10 DME east of XYZ is not the same as 10 miles GPS east of the airport. The DME may not even be located on the airport proper. The controller will compare two DME distances off the same point and will separate two DME equipped aircraft from each other based upon that report. If you state a GPS position in place of a DME distance or substitute the GPS position when you have filed as a /A you are giving a different report than you were asked to give. You will not be separated from the other airplane, at least, not intentionally. How do I know this? I spent 30 years in ATC although I have been retired for the past 10 years. DME rules, I am sure, have not changed during that time but are actually used less often today since radar procedures replace the need for DME and VOR radials in recent times. Radar is the preferred method of separation but that is not always possible so DME and VOR radials are still around.

Do not confuse the two as it MAY make a difference and the pilot will not realize it. We used to encourage pilots with no DME or an IFR GPS to file /U and then in remarks put " VFR GPS equipped". I hope this helps.

Dick DeCramer
N500DD RV6 300 hours
RV8 Fuselage
Northfield, MN