Mike, you have just confirmed what I just suspected. Again, ADS-b is
designed for keeping airplanes that want to stay apart, apart. And
yes, I understand exactly what the ground infrastructure is for, and
it's not gliders - It's for IFR air traffic control and GA planes
working their way through bad weather, checking on the latest NOTAMs
at their destination. Sure, "someone" could develop software and
hardware to use ADS-b to do what FLARM has been doing for the past 10
years, BUT THE CHANCE OF THAT HAPPENING IN THE NEAR FUTURE IS A CLOSE
APPROXIMATION OF ZERO!

Can't you understand that this isn't a zero sum game? NOTHING
prevents you from having FLARM now (in Europe) or next year (in the
US, hopefully) and later, if and when ADS-b becomes affordable and
useable in a glider cockpit, installing ADS-b in their glider. And
that even if the FAA gave a free UAT to every aircraft out there,
FLARM would still be useful in the glider community?

The two systems overlap each other, but occupy different requirement
niches.


Kirk
66