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Old January 4th 16, 04:33 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Don Johnstone[_4_]
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Posts: 398
Default The truth about Flarm Stealth and Competition definition...

I think the real point about STEALTH mode is still being missed. There
are now many users of FLARM, increasingly aircraft other than gliders
are fitting it. Here in the UK GA and the military are fitting it.

Competition pilots do not operate in an airspace bubble of their own,
they share the sky with pilots who are not flying in competitions. None
of these other gliders or aircraft would set STEALTH mode and could
be forgiven for thinking that they have the full features of FLARM. They
do not, if a glider has STEALTH mode set then all other users have only
the reduced features available.

If the setting of STEALTH mode only effected those flying in the
competition then it might be acceptable, provided ALL the pilots in the
competition agree to the reduction in safety margins. It is not about the
risks to competition pilots it is about the degraded service provided to
those not in competition who may not even know that they are
receiving a reduced service.