"Simon Waddell" simon()leswaddells.ch wrote:

There's a company in Switzerland manufactures an anticollision system for
gliders called FLARM. A gadget in your glider continuously broadcasts your
GPS position over a low power radio. Gadgets in other gliders so-equipped
receive the position messages and using an appropriate algorithm to
determine if there is any risk of collision. If there is such a risk, a
warning sounds and a position indicator shows the sector of the risk.

I think the algorithm can track multiple gliders and is smart enough to
determine if you are all in the same thermal and so keeps quiet.

The website is www.flarm.com.

Has anyone out there got any experience of this system and does anyone know
if there are alternative self contained systems available (i.e. that don't
rely on transponder responses, for example)?

Hi Simon

FLARM is a low-cost collision-warning device for developed and sold by
a non-profit organization FLARM Technology, based in Switzerland.
Currently (i.e. within half a year) over 500 devices, sold at approx.
EUR 550 / USD 600, are already in use in Switzerland and nearby
regions and new orders are coming in constantly.

FLARM assesses the traffic and obstacles (currently 21k 3D-objects in
its database) around you and issues a warning only if danger is
imminent. FLARM was designed for being used in small aircraft with a
special focus on gliders. The feedback we've got from many pilots was
very enthusiastic and positive.

FLARM's development was supported by aviation insurers in order to
reduce collisions. FLARM is based on a new open standard for
cooperative warning devices which was widely discussed and presented
by us to the FAI-IGC in early 2004. We are open for 3rd parties to
develop compatible devices but so far we're the only product
available.

Please check our website http://www.flarm.com/index_en.htm for more
details.

There is a 3rd party experience report in French available on
http://www.planeur.net/articles/0409.htm or
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/flarm/

Some very convincing videos (incl. sound) are available at:
http://www.afg.ethz.ch/Flugberichte/...affic_left.avi
http://www.afg.ethz.ch/Flugberichte/...ffic_right.avi
http://www.afg.ethz.ch/Flugberichte/...affic_left.avi
(courtesy Jéremie Badaroux, Damien Thomas, St. Crépin/France)

Pictures are available from:
http://www.flarm.com/pics/high_resolution_picts/
http://www.flarm.com/pics/low_resolution_picts/

Further reading is available from:
http://www.flarm.com/vfr_collisions_en.pdf
http://www.flarm.com/transponder_haaff_en.pdf

Kind regards
Andrea Schlapbach
info(at)flarm.com