Hi Gang
I recently purchased a portable PowerFlarm from Rex. It came with
the old software and I downloaded the 1.2 firmware onto the micro SD
card (supplied) and installed it so that the PCAS function would work.
I then added the security code for my Mode S transponder which
requires you to go to a couple of FAA sites to find this individual
code. I sold my 2 Zaon MRXs using the RAS bulletin board.
I installed the PowerFlarm on the glare shield at 10-15 degrees to
the horizontal. That was a mistake. The PowerFlarm uses an old type
hard to see in the sunlight LCD display similar to my HP 5015 PDA .
Almost invisible using polarized sunglasses! So before you permanently
mount your PowerFlarm sit in the glider and make sure the display is
visible especially if you use polarized sun glasses. A 10 degree
rotation will probably make it unusable.
For the motor heads there may be another quirk. When you start the
engine the voltage transient on the 12 volt power line may reset the
PowerFlarm back to the agreement/license page which is an annoyance
but not a show stopper. As you might remember I reported in my Phoenix
the Westerboer all electronic total energy vario is tripped into Never/
never land and the power supply has to be removed and reapplied before
the vario operates correctly. This quirk is only for motorgliders.
Then I have a real gripe. The size of the portable PowerFlarm is
twice as large as a unit could be if the batteries had been left out
of the design. The PowerFlarm uses 6 AA batteries. Why the batteries?
The power consumption is low and in most gliders would not be an
important consideration.
So what do I think of the ergonomics of the PowerFlarm display? Not
much! It is readable but only just.
Conclusion
The Zaon MRX is in my opinion a much superior device for just PCAS
and I cannot envisage someone replacing their MRX for a PowerFlarm in
a power plane. The PowerFlarm provides a useful safety device for
sailplane pilots in a busy environment if sufficient numbers of people
use them. I support their use for gliders and am flying with one in my
Phoenix.