Revised IGC-approvals for some types of legacy recorder

This GFAC announcement has been prepared with the agreement of
the IGC GNSS Committee and the IGC Bureau.

It was put out a couple of days ago on the FAI IGC email mailing lists
and ). A question that has been
asked is where the current 24 types of IGC-approved recorder and their
10 manufacturers, are listed. This can be seen on:

http://www.fai.org/gliding/gnss/igc_approved_frs.pdf

-------------------------------------------------------------------

At the last IGC Plenary meeting earlier in 2003, a new approval level
for
GNSS flight recorders was agreed. This was for "all IGC badge and
distance diploma flights" and was in addition to the existing levels for
"all
flights" and "badge flights up to and including Diamonds". The latter
is
used for types of recorder units that do not have their own GPS receiver
but rely on a separate GPS unit connected to the recorder by cable.

There are currently 24 models of IGC-approved GNSS recorder, from 10
different manufacturers. GFAC has completed a review of legacy
recorders, the IGC-approvals of which go back as far as 1996. The
following principles have been agreed for the futu

For world record flight claims, it is not considered suitable to have
recorders with one or more of the following characteristics:

1. No security microswitch or equivalent (this operates if the case is
opened).

2. Without electronic security giving the strength of systems such as
RSA
(public/private key systems) as assessed by GFAC and its experts in
electronic security.

3. No current manufacturer support (out of production and the original
manufacturer either no longer exists or is no longer dealing with them).

Negotiations with appropriate manufacturers have been going on for some
time, and revised IGC-approval documents have been circulated to them.
Types of recorders affected will have IGC-approvals for the new "all IGC
badge flights and distance diploma" level.


Types of recorders affected with the main reason:

Cambridge 10, 20 and 25 (not RSA or equivalent strength).

Filser LX20 first batch (not RSA or equivalent strength, no
microswitch).

Peschges VP8 (no microswitch, original manufacturer understood to be no
longer in the recorder business).

Print Technik GR1000 (not RSA or equivalent strength, original
manufacturer no longer in the recorder business).


Timescale

Filser LX20, Peschges VP8 and Print Technik GR1000
- all on 1 January 2004.

Cambridge 10, 20, 25 - the date of re-issue of IGC-approval documents as
part of present negotiations with the Horn Lake (MS) and Martinsville
(VA)
operations (this could be earlier than 1 January).


This announcement is made so that there will be no doubt of what is
happening, and why.

The only pilots affected will be those planning to attempt world record
flights, for which other types of IGC-approved flight recorder must be
used.

Any questions to the undersigned,

--
Ian Strachan
Chairman, GNSS Flight Recorder Approval Committee (GFAC)
of the International Gliding Commission

Bentworth Hall West
Bentworth
Alton, Hampshire GU34 5LA
ENGLAND


Tel: +44 1420 564 195
Fax: +44 1420 563 140