Flarm in the US this summer

Hi, Aldo,

Thanks for posting this. I checked the site for details (
http://www.powerflarm.com/details.html ), and ran it though Babelfish
so I could get the gist of it. It does seem to claim to only detect
Mode S, as you say. I'd think that this means that it's parsing
extended squitter position information only, and not parsing TIS-B
(Traffic Information Service - Broadcast), because then they'd also
get Mode C transponder data. Unfortunately, where I fly I'd need TIS-B
to see all the General Aviation aircraft, so for now I'll stick to a
transponder and PCAS.

-John

On Jul 25, 7:30 am, cernauta wrote:
Zaon is not involved, AFAIK, but you're looking for what's called a
"PowerFlarm". You can upgrade your existing Flarm unit with a
"bluebox" and a display, or buy the PowerFlarm.
I suspect it only works with ModeS xpdrs, not mode a/c.

Aldo



-John

On Jul 25, 10:22*am, jcarlyle wrote:
Hi, Aldo,

Thanks for posting this. I checked the site for details (http://www.powerflarm.com/details.html), and ran it though Babelfish
so I could get the gist of it. It does seem to claim to only detect
Mode S, as you say. I'd think that this means that it's parsing
extended squitter position information only, and not parsing TIS-B
(Traffic Information Service - Broadcast), because then they'd also
get Mode C transponder data. Unfortunately, where I fly I'd need TIS-B
to see all the General Aviation aircraft, so for now I'll stick to a
transponder and PCAS.

-John

On Jul 25, 7:30 am, cernauta wrote:

Zaon is not involved, AFAIK, but you're looking for what's called a
"PowerFlarm". You can upgrade your existing Flarm unit with a
"bluebox" and a display, or buy the PowerFlarm.
I suspect it only works with ModeS xpdrs, not mode a/c.

Aldo

-John

You will likely need TIS-B as mentioned, and in the USA ADS-R (to
relay UAT based devices to 1090ES). As pointed out before in other
threads the ADS-B ground stations rely on knowledge of the ADS-B
devices in the aircraft to determine what traffic information to
transmit, so receive only ADS-B devices may have problems. Those
problems might be mitigated if the PowerFlarm was used in an aircraft
equipped with a Mode-S transponder with 1090ES (that stack of Mode-S
transponder, GPS to feed the 1090ES and PowerFlarm would currently be
~US$10k). It seems the PowerFlarm only detects ADS-B over 1090ES and
not the actual transponder with a PCAS like approach so the bulk of
Mode-S transponders (all those new Gamins' etc.) in the USA fleet
that might support 1090ES expansion but don't yet actually talk 1090ES
will be invisible.

I think Flarm offers some useful benefits and could be useful in
places where we have opposing traffic on mountain ridges etc. but I
also fly in areas where we have intense airline and fast jet traffic
and in those areas (like around Reno) we need gliders to adopt Mode-C
or Mode-S transponders today, and specifically for Reno to communicate
with ATC (there are procedures developed by glider pilots with Reno
TRACON to help do this). That type of traffic density/conflict is
pretty unusual and needs elsewhere will be quite different.

Outside of that I think in general that long term traffic awareness
systems will be based on ADS-B technology. Longer term, what is
available to glider pilots in the USA will be driven by wider market
dynamics in the GA and experimental aircraft market, companies like
Zaon will have to deliver those ADS-B based products (or go out of
business). Still it may be interesting and useful to see Flarm
technology added to those devices (like the PowerFlarm unit mentioned
above is starting to do - even if its current ADS-B capabilities may
have too many issues esp. the USA market).


Darryl