At 10:57 31 October 2012, wrote:
Don,

In answer to the assertion that mid-air collisions in Switzerland have
been

eradicated, mid air collisions are very very rare and relying on
statistics

Switzerland is a small country. I have an incomplete list here
with midairs between 2006 and 2007 in Central Europe. The list implies
a lower bound of:
14 mid-airs
24 fatalities.

I'm not aware of a centralised European accident database, so statistics
is a bit tricky indeed, but it can theoretically be done by wading
through
a few 1000s of reports from various national authorities.

recall in Switzerland over recent year was between two FLARM equipped
gliders, go figure.

http://www.bfu.admin.ch/common/pdf/2012.pdf

Mid-air between an ASH 25 and a Stemme near Samedan, April 2007:

1.3 Information concerning the aircraft

Motorglider HB-2XXX was fitted with a traffic and collision warning
system FLARM F4 which was not operational because its UHF antenna was
not mounted.

[ the ASH had an operational FLARM ].

The only mid-air events I'm personally aware of where both involved
aircraft
had an operational FLARM on board was Finland 2011 and Uvalde 2012.

FLARM helps, but it doesn't provide 100% protection.

Best
--Gerhard

FLARM is like the flashing blue light and sirens on a police car, it does
not in itself provide any protection at all. Both the above rely on the
human beings being able to interpret what they see, a flashing light and or
a sound, and take the necessary action. There are those who believe that
there is a technology solution which makes looking out less of a priority.
I particularly like the statement that people do not see the other aircraft
before it hits them, of course they don't, if they saw it the collision
would not take place. Of course FLARM can help, IF it is used as intended
and the human bit understands what he is bing told. It still relies on good
old fashioned lookout.
It is not unknown for two aircraft hitting each other when under radar
control, it is not the technology that is the problem. Accidents happen
because we are human, and sometimes fail to do what we should.
My comment about FLARM aircraft being involved in collisions was not a
critism of FLARM, more a comment that despite FLARM it can still, and will
happen.