On Aug 20, 11:09*am, Steve Koerner wrote:
It's a no-brainer. *Everyone who flies gliders with other gliders
needs to get a PowerFlarm. *

I, for one, don't think it is that simple.

I agree that FLARM is the best available technology for glider on
glider collision avoidance. That part is the no brainer.

The situation as I understand it is that one manufacturer of devices
that uses FLARM technology has expressed an intention to launch a
product (PowerFLARM) in USA. If this produduct is FLARM compatible it
must mean that the company holding the rights to the FLARM technology
has authorized the use of it in USA. That is something that they
have, in the past, prohibited.

PowerFLARM includes features that are not included by other
manufacturers of equipment using FLARM technology. There is no
indication in the specifications, or elsewhere on their website, how
these additional features will be integrated with the well proven
FLARM functionality.

If the holder of the rights to the FLARM technology has authorized its
use in USA what is to stop other companies launching a FLARM product
to the US market. Perhaps such a product would not have the
additional features of the Power FLARM unit but would support only the
basic FLARM functionality that has a proven track record. Perhaps that
device, or family of devices, would be far less expensive than
PowerFLARM. Perhaps these devices already exist and just need a
firmware change to assign the correct frequencies for use in USA.

The SSA rules committee needs to immediately adopt a mandate for
PowerFlarm in 2011 sanctioned contests

No rule should require the use of a particular manufacturer's
product. The rule that should be considered is one that requires the
use of a FLARM compatible device.

so that the Flarm folks
understand their mission and can get production ramped accordingly.

Who are the FLARM folks that you refer to? In an earlier post you
said "Andy -- have some faith. The Flarm designers are glider pilots
and have been at this for years. The track record is that of
remarkable
success". Do you mean the manufacturer of PowerFLARM, or perhaps the
holder of the FLARM rights. To the best of my knowledge these are not
the same company. (Maybe someone that knows the relationship between
the various companies and the people involved could comment)


Andy