Flarm in 2011 USA Contests

At 03:18 17 November 2010, Paul Remde wrote:
Well done.

Paul Remde

"John Godfrey (QT)" wrote in message
...
The USA Rules Committee has published a document detailing the
decisions taken and background relating to Flarm usage in 2011 USA
contests. The document can be accessed via the link below:

http://www.ssa.org/files/member/2011FlarmUSA.pdf

For the committee,

John Godfrey (QT)
USA Rules Committee

While I am not directly concerned as I am a competition director in the UK
I am concerned with one aspect of FLARM in competitions;

4. Stealth or other restrictions. We are not imposing stealth or other
restrictions at this time. We may impose restrictions later, and may do so
on a contest by contest basis.

Current UK rules do require stealth restrictions during competitions and
as a director I am uncomfortable with this on two main grounds.
The first is that the use of STEALTH mode degrades the performance of an
instrument which is designed to enhance flight safety. While it is fine
for an individual pilot to make a decision to do that I am extremely
uncomfortable with requiring someone to degrade a unit and therefore
safety. I am pretty sure that even a British court would take a very dim
view of that were there to be an accident. Whether a court would find me
personally liable I have no way of knowing and given the only way of
finding out I prefer to remain ignorant.
The other concern is that the requirement is un-enforcable. FLARM is an
open technology and while it is possible to check an instrument installed
in the glider it is not possible to check and undeclared FLARM unit
carried by the pilot, searching pilots before they get into their glider
is not likely to ever be acceptable. It is comparatively easy to have a
non--stealth unit available. A rule that cannot be enforced should never
be made.
Personally I prefer the route you have taken at the moment, accept that
those with FLARM may receive an advantage from it's use. This alone may
encourage pilots to fit FLARM and if everyone has it the playing field is
at least level. In my opinion it would be unwise, given the nature of your
courts, to mandate the use of stealth mode.