Hi Bill,

Well said and with many good points. I respect your opinion and I'm certain
many U.S. soaring contest pilots agree with you.

However, I suspect that many of those pilots will "change their tune" after
flying with FLARM and over time. I'm sure European pilots had the same
feelings 5 years ago, yet now many of them are used to FLARM and like the
thermal strength data - hence why most contests don't require Stealth or
Competition modes be turned on.

Years ago a wise soaring instructor (Bob Wander - if I remember correctly)
said - "There wouldn't be any fun or challenge to soaring cross country if
all the thermals were painted pink." At the time I agreed with him. But
after listening the Dick Johnson talk about how cool it would be to see all
thermals all around you, I started to believe that I would love to have more
thermal strength information available. I now believe that it would
increase my "fun" to be able to see "thermals" ahead of me on a
cross-country task. But it does change the game - a lot! And it will take
a while for many to come around to that way of thinking. And many never
will.

All I ask is that you keep an open mind - at least until after you have
flown with FLARM in an environment with many other gliders. Once you get
used to flying with it from your local gliderport you may really miss the
thermal climb rate information when you go to a contest.

I certainly may be wrong. I can't see the future. But this is my opinion.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.

"WR" wrote in message
...
On Oct 29, 12:02 pm, John Cochrane
wrote:
This is very interesting. We started with "is there really a tactical
advantage in seeing other gliders on flarm." Some US pilots are
adamantly opposed to allowing this to happen, and view it as a big
negative to the contest soaring experience. I seem to be hearing "yes,
and we like it."

John Cochrane

Any device that allows you to “see” another competitor that you could
not otherwise acquire with your eyeball gives a tactical advantage,
period.
Keep in mind we started down this FLARM road for one purpose, to
avoid another Chris O’Callaghan type tragedy.

It bothers me that some are using the safety soapbox to promote the
use of FLARM for something other than collision avoidance with
regards
to US competition soaring. Where does that line of reasoning stop?
Perhaps we should only race over landable terrain or everyone should
be required to fly a motorglider. Wouldn’t that be safer? If not
knowing
where the next lift is scares you, buy a motorglider.
If racing scares you, don’t race. If the contest rules concern you,
don’t
organize, host, manage or CD a US contest.

PowerFlarm in full up mode will be Leacher’s wet dream. I define a
good
leach as someone who has a capable aircraft, average to above average
airmanship skills but lacks the confidence to make his own
decisions.
Why make a racing decision when you can follow the lead pack on
Flarm?
That’s great for weekend flying around the field, but it has no place
in racing.

If I am not a collision threat to you, or you to me, than you have no
need or
right to know my location and rate of climb. The day the rules
REQUIRE me
to share my location and climb rate with fellow competitors will be
the day
I stop racing.

For the record I have a PowerFlarm on order. I’m buying it for one
purpose/reason.
I have two young children and I don’t want to be involved in a fatal
midair.
But I still want to Race.

Bill Ruehle WR