[USA] What do you think of mandatory FLARM at Uvalde?

On Jan 25, 1:01*pm, lanebush wrote:
On Jan 25, 1:50*pm, John Cochrane
wrote:



On Jan 25, 12:31*pm, Andy wrote:

On Jan 25, 9:55*am, John Cochrane
wrote:

On Jan 24, 6:51*pm, R S wrote:

At the IGC meeting in March, we will decide whether to require FLARM
at World Gliding Championships. *

No brainer. Yes. But hardly necessary, as I think we've all got the
message now. The rest of the thread here should calm down

John,

What rule would you propose? *How will that rule take account of the
non zero probability that a FLARM will fail.

As you said the rule is hardly necessary since we all got the message..

Andy

A world contest can say "you have to have a flarm" the same way they
can say "you have to have a parachute" and "you can't have a turn and
bank." *It's part of the scrutineering. *I don't think there will be a
huge problem of people getting a flarm or parachute to show organizers
and then deliberately removing them for flight. There is the minor
issue of people turning flarm off if they think someone might follow
them, but that's a separate issue.

I do not favor mandatory flarm for US contests BTW. But it makes much
more sense for world events. People are putting a lot (a LOT) of money
already into world competition, so extra cost is really not an issue;
they have 150 gliders not the 20 that fill a typical US contest, and
they have tasks and rules that encourage mass gaggling. 95% already
have flarm.

John Cochrane

I can address the "does anyone bother with badges anymore?"

As one of the club CFIGs the badges are a motivator for our students /
members. *I love the OLC and am a participant. *However, the OLC is
not the same motivator as a badge and does not have the nostalgia or
duration of a badge. *The badge program really seems to be getting
slammed by competition pilots and I just don't quite get it. *Newly
certified pilots can ready the Silver requirements and it provides
real inspiration as does the ABC/Bronze program. *There are plenty of
improvements that could be made to make the approval more user
friendly but as leaders in the cross country scene lets quit slamming
the badge program please.

I'm sorry if it came out wrong -- no "slam" intended at all. And the
whole badge idea is great -- a set of concrete goals to help pilots
cut the apron strings and go on to start flying cross country.

I just noticed that more pilots seem to be moving straight to OLC and
contests and not pursuing badges any more. Kudos to those who do.

John Cochrane