Hi Kirk,

Yes, I've towed you during at least one contest at Moriarty and I've
admired your LS-6.

Please understand that I don't "poo-poo" Flarm in my comments, I only
respond to the comments of some, which I believe are unreasonable or
downright wrong. I always welcome logical proofs like the math-based
analysis of the pull-up (in a previous thread).

And yes, I think Flarm is a great tool for situational awareness but I
don't think that knowing a blip's ID is a requirement for safety. And
I'm neither for nor against "stealth" mode - I don't care either way.
The idea of coordinating an escape plan with another aircraft 5 miles
away by radio is simply ludicrous. Remember when contests were fully
manned and there was no Flarm or GPS? I'm not against either, as a lot
of the folks here think, but I think a lot of the fun has gone and
that's the main reason I don't fly contests any more.

So why do I keep posting? It's out of a genuine concern that false
perceptions, unchallenged, will eventually become policy, and I don't
want any more policies.

On 1/9/2016 8:09 AM, kirk.stant wrote:
On Friday, January 8, 2016 at 10:03:36 PM UTC-6, Dan Marotta wrote:

So here's my take on this whole Flarm "stealth" thing:
Those who want stealth mode, don't want others to be able to
identify them and become remoras. That seems a nicer word than
leeches. They state the reasons for their opposition in clear
terms.
Those who don't want stealth mode want to be remoras but don't want
to admit it. In an attempt to push their view, they fall back on
Mom, apple pie, children, lawyers, and safety. We see the same
arguments all the time in other activities and they become more
unlikely and extreme with each round.
Dan, considering you don't fly with a PowerFlarm and don't currently race, your comments are somewhat simplistic.

I've had PF since the day it came out, and have raced with it (in your stomping grounds, by the way). I love the situational awareness it provides, and think it makes racing a lot more fun, as well as safer. If you carefully read all the threads on this subject, you find a few hard core "IT WILL RUIN RACING AS WE KNOW IT!!!" proponents of stealth, a few hard core "MANDATE STEALTH AND ILL NEVER RACE AGAIN", and a lot of "I really like full flarm SA and I worry about mid-airs, is there a way we can compromise? My personal take is that the leeching argument is way overblown with the attendance at US contests, otherwise everybody would be carrying binoculars and all the young guys with 20-10 eyes would be winning. And having picked up USAFA Duo's(all USAFA racing gliders have PF) head on co-altitude under a cloud street over 10 km on the nose, I REALLY dont want to give up that capability.

All this knashing of teeth about how to tweek "stealth" to "competition" that will please everybody seems pointless to me. As others have pointed out, ADS-B out is coming, and if a cheap 1090ES system for UAVs comes out soon, I bet you will see it explode in gliders, and with PF you will see all those guys regardless of stealth or competition modes.

Instead of whining, we should all embrace the new technology and the capability it brings, and find new ways to use it. Despite what many nay-sayers are claiming, for the average racing pilot full up flarm makes a contest more enjoyable and safer - and isn't that really the point of it?

You should borrow a portable PF and try it - you may find that opens your eyes on what is really flying around in your airspace - you'll be able to see those airliners deviate around you!

Cheers from cold, wet, dreary St Louis.

Kirk
66

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Dan, 5J