On Thursday, December 8, 2016 at 7:42:34 PM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
On Thursday, December 8, 2016 at 8:28:17 AM UTC-6, Mike Schumann wrote:
This is somewhat misleading. PowerFlarm doesn't actually let you "see" mode C and S transponders. It warns you if a transponder equipped aircraft is in your vicinity. It tells you the altitude and an approximate range, but you have absolutely no idea if the aircraft is in front of you, behind, you etc.

If the PowerFlarm guys had bothered to implement TIS-B, it would be be able to tell you exactly where the transponder equipped aircraft is. Similarly, you get absolutely no visibility for UAT equipped aircraft or drones.

This may be an acceptable product for Europe, but definitely a half baked solution for the US market.

Again, Mike, please describe for us a practical ADS-B OUT/IN setup that you can buy today, and install it in a glider, that provides the same situational awareness that a PowerFLARM does.

Crickets....as expected.

My PowerFLARM, for the last 3 years, has provided me with ALL the nearby Mode-S ES ADS-B traffic, as well as approximate distance and relative altitude (critical, that) of ALL transponder equipped aircraft. Still does. And it displays that data on it's own BF display as well as on my Oudie and SN10. Oh and it shows other FLARM equipped gliders!

ADS-B is GREAT for powered aircraft that need it. It could have been great for gliders too, if it had cost $500 for a VFR-only portable system. Instead, it's become a fancy required toy for motor heads, and gliders will continue to fly around blind (in the US at least).

Cheers,

Kirk
66

Kirk, your PowerFlarm does not even come close to traffic awareness ADS-B out/in installation provides. Before I installed ADS-B Out/In, I was in situations, e.g. in a thermal, when I got a warning from PowerFlarm about another aircraft a mile away at my altitude. How do you find that aircraft? You only see part of the sky and not for too long, plus it might be coming from the sunny side. One 360 turn takes 20 seconds and if you miss the other aircraft it may take considerable amount of time before you see that part of the sky again. Flying with PowerFlarm in areas with considerable power traffic is simply stressful.

TIS-B service gives me total situation awareness. I know exactly where the other transponder equipped traffic is as well as his direction of travel and speed.

I still have PowerFlarm to see other gliders, but saying that PowerFlarm is better than ADS-B out/in is a stretch.

You might not be able to install it in a certified glider but you can sure install it now in any experimental glider.

Also why would you want ADS-B system to cost $500 when PowerFlarm costs around $1,500? You are not being fair.