On Jan 25, 6:20*pm, Andreas Maurer wrote:
On Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:30:42 -0800 (PST), Andy
wrote:

Where is exactly did you see anyone say that anything was being
prohibited by WGC organizers. *Will you please quote what you think
was said. *Otherwise please stop being so upset about an issue that
exists only in your imagination.

--- snip ---
If you mandate FLARM at Uvalde WGC what will you do about visiting
pilots that bring their own FLARM equipped gliders. *With no FCC
certification they will not be legal for use in USA. *IGC cannot, or
at least should not, mandate an illegal operation.
--- snip ---

Since the use of European Flarm units is illegal in the US, US laws
(and therefore WGC organizers) obviously prohibit their use at the
Uvalde WGC.
I'm curious what solution will be found to equip all 200 gliders at
the Uvalde WGC with US compliant PowerFlarm.

Looking at the midair history at recent WGC's and at US gliding
operations I regard Flarm as a necessity.

Andreas

Nothing at all should be a suprise here. Lack of Flarm FCC approval
and prohibition by Flarm on use of existing devices it the USA have
been know about for years. The benefits and usage levels of Flarm
devices in world and other contests have been know about. PowerFLARM
coming to the USA market has been known about publicly for much of
2010 and seemingly privately by some others for longer.

So the original question was should this be mandated. Don't know - I'd
like to leave that mostly up to contestants and very few others (e.g.
organizers who are exposed to liability risks). But there is a
bleeding obvious need to at least allow/support/encourage (but not
necessarily mandate) use of PowerFLARM in this contest. Forget FLARM
classic etc. if they are not FCC approved and legal for use in the
USA. This is not somethign that anybody will/can change. So since none
of this should be a surprise at all I hope the FAI/IGC/SSA and local
contest organizers have a plan to ensure contestants can rent, loan,
or purchase PowerFLARM units. Or work to help them easily bring in
PowerFLARM units purchase overseas. Of course if I was actually a
contestant I'd like to hear more details on what that plan is. (and in
the remote change this is not actually been thought about/in plan then
yes I agree with Andreas that the USA should not be running this
contest).

Darryl