On Monday, December 3, 2012 7:30:54 AM UTC-8, Lucky812 wrote:
I am re-configuring my cockpit over the winter and am looking at buying
a Nano and a Power FLARM and was wondering, why isn't Power FLARM
approved as a logger for all records?

The first thing to be aware of is that the PowerFLARM isn't an IGC approved flight recorder for anything, at this moment.

Second, those of us on the IGC GNSS Flight Recorder Approval Committee put together a Technical Specification for GNSS Flight Recorders, which lays out the requirements for a flight recorder design to be approved for all badge flights, diplomas, and records. A manufacturer may choose to design a device that meets all of these requirements. Or, for cost and/or complexity reasons, to meet only a subset of the requirements, which makes the device eligible for lesser levels of approval, either all badges and diplomas, or all badges up to Diamonds. When the device is submitted for testing, the manufacturer states what level of approval is desired, and we examine the design, perform tests, require firmware or hardware modifications, as needed, then issue the approval document when the device is deemed suitable for approval at the requested level. So, the answer to your question is that the PowerFLARM will be approved for whatever level of approval FLARM requests, when it meets the relevant requirements.

Lastly, members of GFAC are volunteers, just like the SSA Rules Committee, and some of the members who post here (not myself), put a tremendous amount of time and effort into examining and testing each and every device that is submitted for approval, and have been doing so for upwards of 15 years. While the FAI was kind enough recently to give GFAC a "Group Diploma of Honour", all we ever get from rec.aviation.soaring is grief for not automatically approving any GPS receiver that someone finds in a Cracker Jacks box. Where are the bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolates? ;^)

Marc