Just to throw in a little more topic creep, I suggest those interested
do a Google on FLARM.

The Swiss came up with a self contained collision avoidance system for
gliders - which have a horrible mid-air problem in Europe. Simple to
use and inexpensive - about $500 per glider, I think.

Works great - and is wildly popular - in Europe. I think in Austria
and Switzerland, the number of FLARM equipped gliders approaches 90%.
And remember, this is a totally voluntary system, and you have to buy
it yourself and hope the other guy has one.

BUT - the people who make FLARM specifically prohibit it's sale and use
in the US and Canada - due to product liability laws.

No reason something similar couldn't be used by ALL aircraft,
everywhere. Make it portable, give it to a pilot when he gets his
license, require him to have it when he flies.

Yeah right, that'll happen!

OTOH, what I want more than a TCAS (that I can't afford or power) or a
transponder (which doesn't help when me and the F-16 about to hit me
are VFR and/or talking to different agencies, if at all) when I fly my
glider is a simple transponder detector - so I will be warned when
there is traffic nearby - and those are avialable for about $500 today.

Re bugsmashers: Have you ever seen a Cessna or Piper with a clean
windscreen? No way you can see and avoid looking through all the dirt
and bugs. Anyway, it's much more fun to look at the pretty color GPS
display - it even has a map!

War story - flying gliders out west in Az, have frequently picked up
mil jets (mainly Luke F-16s and Yuma AV-8s) visually and aurally - and
they seem to have had no problem seeing me (the Marines in particular
seem to like checking out gliders up close - I just wave at them as
they go by...). Ditto airliners - although when they are letting down,
737s don't make any noise at all. But it's the Cessna or Bonanza that
sneaks up on you that scares me the most. Fortunately, out west
gliders are usually above them. In Illinois, however, I'm forced to
fly smack in the middle of the VFR altitude favored the most - so my
paranoia is way up there!

Kirk
LS6 "66"