PowerFLARM 3.0 and TIS

Hello Gerhard,

I just found this discussion whilst looking for details how the Garmin TIS protocol can handle Mode-S targets.

Do you plan to ever implement a loop antenna (integrated antenna like modern ADF antennas) in order to give also a directional information about Mode-S targets? This feature combined with the already existing Mode-S amplitude ranging would solve the problems with the TIS interface and the biggest concern "against" Powerflarm.

I studied aviation engineering and I am doing my commercial pilot licence right now. I tried to convince my local flying club of installing PF and ADS-B out in our fleet (five planes), but there were too many concerns about the non-directional Mode-S targets. The solution with PF wasn't evaluated as good enough for spending about 10.000€ in a CAS for the fleet.

We are just looking for a system which provides displaying ADS-B targets as well as directional Mode-S targets (like the Zaon XRX), preferably displayed on the GNS430. As long as these claims can't be satisfied, I won't be able to convince our managing committee of buying any CAS for our fleet.

Unfortunately ADS-B isn't planned to be mandatory for all aircraft in Europe, so I think the focus should be how we can get the non-ADS-B targets displayed in an appropriate form since a Mode-S transponder is the only system nearly all SEP and TMG are equipped with.

The general aviation needs just an affordable single device which is combining the advantages of the Zaon XRX and PF. That would be a real innovation.

I hope you understand my point and that my feedback is incentive enough to take that feature into account and into your intern discussions.


Kind regards
Simon