On Wednesday, October 31, 2012 3:00:04 PM UTC+1, Don Johnstone wrote:
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..
Nobody, right in their head actually believes that. Nobody that has been instructed in FLARM usage does believe that.
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.
Which is exactly the situation where FLARM comes in and tells you the pilot to pay attention and prevent the collision. So these stories will be a thing of the past.
Of course FLARM can help, IF it is used as intended
and the human bit understands what he is bing told.
If you fly in an aircraft where you do not understand what each instrument on your panel does, and are unfamiliar with the procedures that this entitles (for example pulling out right with a imminent head on collision) You do _not_ belong into this aircraft. These are the very basics.
It still relies on good
old fashioned lookout.
Flarm does not replace the pilot or good airmanship. It augments the pilot's senses.
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.
Since flarm doesn't pilot the aircraft for you: of course it can. But a critical situation is
1. far less likely to arise.
2. The outcome of a critical situation far less likely to cause an accident..
Statistics from .ch: Note the dip from 2004 onwards.
http://www.segelflug.ch/d/6safety/pd...atistik_CH.pdf
And i checked the accidents reports from 2007 onwards: There hasn't been a midair since the introduction of FLARM in Switzerland. (Flarm equipped and _in working order_ aircraft.)
- Folken