Changes to Flight Recorder IGC-approval levels

Updated IGC-approval documents for 11 types of Flight Recorders (FRs) have been published on the IGC and GFAC web sites and take effect from 1 January 2020. These documents lower the Approval level of older types of FR that no longer comply with the current IGC FR Specification. Reductions of level are from Level 1 (world records) to Level 2 (all badges and diplomas) or Level 3 (badges up to Diamonds).

Types of FRs affected are the Aircotec XC Profi, Cambridge 302, ClearNav 1, DSX T-Advisor/Tracer, EW microRecorder, Garrecht Volkslogger, IMI Erixx, NT Easy, Peschges VP8, Scheffel Themi, and Zander/SDI 941.

This is the final stage in a process that started in January 2019 with the report of the IGC GFA Committee for the IGC Plenary agenda, followed by a presentation to the Plenary in March 2019, and approval to proceed. Detailed proposals were made to the IGC Bureau, and the IGC FR Technical Specification and Annex B to the Sporting Code (SC3B) were updated. Affected manufacturers were contacted (where they still exist) and given time to submit updates. A similar process happened in 2012 in which 13 types of IGC-approved FR were affected. The general reason for such changes is that advances in computer technology and vulnerability to hacking, is not compatible with retaining the highest levels of IGC-approval for old types of Recorders.

To put this in perspective, there are currently 62 main types of IGC-approved Flight Recorders, 71 when different models within types are added. The main table of all these Approvals, and individual IGC-approval documents, can be downloaded from either the GFAC or FAI/IGC web sites, see below, together with other information on Flight Recorders.


Ian W Strachan
Chairman, IGC GNSS Flight Recorder Approval Committee (GFAC)


Notes:

1. For the GFAC web site, see: www.ukiws.demon.co.uk/GFAC
the complete table can be viewed directly at:
www.ukiws.demon.co.uk/GFAC/igc_approved_frs.pdf
This table lists the name and main characteristics of individual IGC-approvals and in the last column there is a link to individual documents, click the link to call up the document. The table is followed by a list of individual IGC-approval documents in alphabetical order of manufacturer’s name from Aircotec to Zander. These can be called up by clicking the document name.

2. For the IGC web site go to: www.fai.org/igc-documents
Scroll down and click "Flight Recorders",
look down and click on: "IGC-approved Flight Recorders - Approval Documents"
then click on "IGC-approval Documents for all IGC-approved Flight Recorders"
This will call up a list of documents, the first one being a table of all IGC-approved FRs with links to Approval documents, followed by a Manufacturer table, List of updates, and History of FRs in IGC.

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If you own, or fly with, any IGC-approved FR, it is recommended that you download its latest IGC-approval document from one of the web sites given below, and note any changes that may affect how you operate it.

IGC-approval - GENERAL
IGC-approval follows test and evaluation by the IGC GNSS Flight Recorder Approval Committee (GFAC) in accordance with Annex B to the Sporting Code for gliding and the Technical Specification for IGC-approved GNSS Flight Recorders.

The Technical Specification is available through the igc-documents web site above
or directly from the GFAC web site:
http://www.ukiws.demon.co.uk/GFAC/do..._spec_gnss.pdf

Programs that have been notified to IGC for the analysis of IGC files are listed on the GFAC web site under: "Analysis Programs for IGC Flight DataFiles"

The Validation process checks that an IGC file has the correct structure and that the file is the same as initially downloaded from the FR. This is achieved either through the IGC Shell program, or through analysis programs such as SeeYou that include IGC Shell within their overall program.
IGC Shell may be downloaded he www.ukiws.demon.co.uk/GFAC/downloads.htm
This downloads the file IGCDLL.zip, which when un-zipped, gives the IGC Shell program. This web site also contains the latest FR Manufacturers’ Data Link Library (DLL) files that are used by IGC Shell and other programs to Validate the structure of an IGC file. The IGC file Validate check ensures that the IGC file came from a serviceable and secure FR, and the file is identical to when it was originally downloaded. This check is required before a flight performance recorded in the IGC file can be approved to the standards of IGC.

Finally, the Sporting Code for gliding (SC3) and its annexes A-D may be downloaded via: www.fai.org/igc-documents in which "Sporting Code - Section 3: Gliding" is at the top of the list

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