PowerFLARM at Uvalde

On Jul 27, 9:16*am, Darryl Ramm wrote:
On Jul 27, 6:01*am, RWW wrote:





Darryl Ramm wrote:
On Jul 26, 4:19 pm, RWW wrote:
"Paul Remde" wrote:
"RWW" wrote in message
...
"Paul Remde" wrote:
Hi Brad,

My policy has always been to ship items in the order in which orders were
received. *However, in this case, we will soon have 50 to 60 competitors
flying in a soaring contest at the same site that had a fatal mid-air
last season. *Therefore, FLARM-USA has asked us to ship units to Uvalde
competitors first. *I can't speak for the other PowerFLARM dealers, but
it is my intention to follow the recommendation of FLARM-USA. *I agree
that the upcoming contest has a higher mid-air risk than will be found
anywhere else in the USA next week, and I sincerely believe that
PowerFLARM will help reduce the risk.

I can understand that it would be frustrating for those that ordered
early, because you want the enhanced safety for yourself ASAP also.

After the Uvalde competitors' orders are filled I will ship to other
customers in the order that orders were received.

We should be receiving the units pretty quickly over only a few weeks.
We will get your unit to you ASAP.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.

So, I can be bumped down the queue for the portable flarm I ordered last
year by someone who ordered a brick, and only decided today that they want
a loaner portable unit?

I guess the competition guys really are more important than those of us who
don't fly competition.

Hi,

Of course no pilot is more important than any other pilot - at least not
in my book. *But how many gliders are flying in your area at a time? *Do
you have 40 to 60 gliders in a small area as they will at Uvalde next
week? *If not, then I hope you will understand why we are putting a high
priority on the Uvalde pilots. *Also, the decision was based on the fact
that a glider pilot died in a mid-air collision at Uvalde only last year.
*I hope that the PowerFLARM units will help avoid a recurrence of that tragedy.

Besides, I'm told that the Portable units will be shipped at a good rate
(many units shipping every week), so that everyone will get their
PowerFLARM unit very soon anyway.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde

I understand, I just disagree. For the record, it's not the gliders I worry
about; it's the very frequent airliners that fly over our glider port at
3-5K AGL.
--

I do not understand this apparently selfish attitude. Glider contests
are an area where Flarm can significantly help improve glider-glider
traffic awareness and collision avoidance and I am happy to see
contestants at Uvalde prioritized over other purchasers (including
me). We do not need another mid-air, with or without a fatality, at a
contest. The current state of play of the PowerFLARM firmware makes it
a more compelling glider/FLARM to glider/FLARM collision avoidance
tool, future updates will expand that.

Uvalde is also a good trial run at a contest this year before the
season ends and a chance for many USA contest pilots to experience
Flarm in a reasonable size contest to help guide usage and any rules
changes for next year. Its also good for organizers there to see Flarm
in action as soon as possible before the World contest where
PowerFLARM availability/demonstrated operation in a contest is likely
of a lot of interest for many overseas pilots.

While it would have been nicer for all the pilots to have been able
gain experience with PowerFLARM beforehand there are pilots at the
contest who have flow with Flarm technology overseas and who I am sure
will help others with it, and I expect the contest organizers and
Flarm to do some hand holding.

If your concerns are airliners then PowerFLARM with the current
firmware and state of 1090ES carriage in the USA may not provide as
much information as some expect. Not all airliners in the USA are
1090ES data-out equipped (check with you local ATC or airliner ops
folks on what 1090ES data-out carriage is with local airliners). If
they are 1090ES data-out equipped the current PowerFLARM firmware will
display that traffic but will not issue audible alerts, if the
airliners are not 1090ES data-out equipped the only indication on the
PowerFLARM will be Mode-S based PCAS (all the airliners have Mode-S
transponders) but PCAS gives no direction information, and with
current firmware no audible warning and the relatively short range of
PCAS warnings and lack of direction information may not be sufficient
to be useful in an encounter with airliners or other fast aircraft.

If you are really worried about airliners I would hope you already
have a transponder, and where possible talk to ATC. Transponders are
the only technology compatible with the TCAS system that all
(reasonable size) airliners are require to carry. If airliners are
really a strong concern and you don't have a transponder already maybe
you should consider cancelling the PowerFLARM order and instead
getting a Trig TT21.

Darryl

Thanks for your thoughts. I value your opinion, but do not share it.

There was a lot there not to agree with, what in particular don't you
agree with?

That you attitude is selfish? (a likely short delay to you of a device
not fully feature equipped for the usage scenario you are most worried
about for important benefit to contest pilots and the wider contest
community?).
That we don't need another mid-air/fatality at a contest?
That FLARM should not have prioritized units for Uvalde? (OK we know
you disagree on that)
That getting Uvalde organizers and others early experience with
PowerFLARM is important for the world contest?
That getting USA contest pilots exposure is important before next year
for input for rule changes?
There is something wrong with how I describe current PowerFLARM
firmware features? Especially lack of PCAS and 1090ES audible alarms
(coming in a future firmware update)?
You disagree on current USA airliner 1090ES data-out carriage? - or do
you know if the airline traffic you are worried about have significant
1090ES data-out carriage?(its great to know if they do - can you share
which airlines/aircraft and their equipage levels?)
You think PCAS' short range and lack of direction information does not
makes it of limited use for airliner/fast traffic collision avoidance?
You disagree that transponders are important tools for airline
collision avoidance?
You disagree that transponders are the only technology that works/
interoperates with airline TCAS systems?
You disagree that if airliners are a serious/dominant concern you
should prioritize getting a transponder? (if I had airliners very
frequently fly over my glider port at 3-5k I would have installed a
transponder a long tine ago--have you?),

Darryl


Good points Darryl. I am very happy to have the manufacturer send the
first units to Uvalde instead of me. Large contests are the highest
value scenario for PowerFlarm and the extra couple of weeks will allow
me to finally get a transponder installed (yes Darryl I placed the
order).

For those who are disappointed not to get your unit right now keep in
mind that the "first come, first served" arrangement is with the
dealer. The manufacturer can allocate production however they like -
that's how it works every day in the real world.

On a related note, on Sunday I wrote a check to Rex at Williams
Soaring for my contribution to the rental program. It's pretty clear
from my understanding of the order numbers that US contest pilots are
not 100% covered so if you made a commitment to that program last year
I strongly encourage you to follow through. As much as I enjoy
unexpectedly running into old soaring friends I really don't want to
do it while flying my glider.

9B