self contained streamlined strobe?

Is the motivation one of managing power consumption? Honestly, the idea of only switching on the strobe when a flarm contact is received sounds so dim to me that I hardly have the words. Outside of contest flying, far less than 5% of the traffic I see is flarm equipped... Those are the guys I am *least* concerned with bumping into. A) we're flarm equipped, B) they're the experienced guys with good lookout discipline.

I've seen the Schleicher fin mount LED strobe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMdGXX11Bs4

It looks quite amazing lit up on the ground and it's a nice clean installation. However, the rumor I hear -- though I stress I am at the end of a long grapevine -- is that it isn't bright enough to be useful except under deep cloud shadow. Perhaps still useful under cloud streets...

best,
Evan Ludeman / T8


On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 10:59:32 AM UTC-5, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
It is a GREAT idea, not sure why it is not standard! A strobe faired into the leading edge of the vertical fin (no aerodynamic loses) with a controller, that lets you set to off, on, or strobe with Flarm alert. Why would tht not be a good idea. Check out the Schleicher fin strobe, it is great safety idea and in my view should be a standard item.

What would be the downside?


On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 5:57:00 AM UTC-8, Tango Eight wrote:
On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 7:04:30 AM UTC-5, Dan Daly wrote:
runs the strobe when there is a FLARM alert.

Does this actually strike anyone as a good idea?

-Evan

Evan, ironic that you use the word "dim" to describe a bright idea such as a strobe with no aerodynamic penalty. The strobe is very bright and can be seen much better than the typical strobes on airplanes, as it is a strip of LED lights, perhaps 12 inches long. I also, turn on the strobe when say crossing Banning Pass, a well known air carrier route. Running the cloud streets of the west it helps others with over a 250 mph closure rate see me, and I have been told that. It is a different visual cue that helps others spot a glider flashing a 12 inch or so long strobe of LED lights. With all due respect, as for so dim you do not have words, frankly that is insulting (I am surprised you do not have more social graces), short sighted, linear thought process that apparently cannot accept a new application of a proven idea. Merry Christmas


On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 8:54:50 AM UTC-8, Tango Eight wrote:
Is the motivation one of managing power consumption? Honestly, the idea of only switching on the strobe when a flarm contact is received sounds so dim to me that I hardly have the words. Outside of contest flying, far less than 5% of the traffic I see is flarm equipped... Those are the guys I am *least* concerned with bumping into. A) we're flarm equipped, B) they're the experienced guys with good lookout discipline.

I've seen the Schleicher fin mount LED strobe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMdGXX11Bs4

I've seen an ASG-29 equipped with a fin mounted strobe in the air several times over eastern and central PA. Evan is correct, the strobe isn't very bright. Flarm alerts me about the glider, and I see it well before I see the strobe.

-John, Q3

On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 11:54:50 AM UTC-5, Tango Eight wrote:
I've seen the Schleicher fin mount LED strobe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMdGXX11Bs4

It looks quite amazing lit up on the ground and it's a nice clean installation. However, the rumor I hear -- though I stress I am at the end of a long grapevine -- is that it isn't bright enough to be useful except under deep cloud shadow. Perhaps still useful under cloud streets...

best,
Evan Ludeman / T8

Feedback I got in Uvalde was that the strobe on the vertical of the Silent 2 Electro was very easy to see and appreciated. The nice thing about having the giant batteries for the FES is that power consumption isn't much of a concern.

Slow down, read it again.

It's the flarm dependent bit I'm stuck on. It seems to me that making the action of the strobe dependent upon flarm defeats 90+% of the potential utility of the strobe. Why not leave it on? That's all. Bad pun intended, of course.

best,
Evan






On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 12:49:30 PM UTC-5, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
Evan, ironic that you use the word "dim" to describe a bright idea such as a strobe with no aerodynamic penalty. The strobe is very bright and can be seen much better than the typical strobes on airplanes, as it is a strip of LED lights, perhaps 12 inches long. I also, turn on the strobe when say crossing Banning Pass, a well known air carrier route. Running the cloud streets of the west it helps others with over a 250 mph closure rate see me, and I have been told that. It is a different visual cue that helps others spot a glider flashing a 12 inch or so long strobe of LED lights. With all due respect, as for so dim you do not have words, frankly that is insulting (I am surprised you do not have more social graces), short sighted, linear thought process that apparently cannot accept a new application of a proven idea. Merry Christmas


On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 8:54:50 AM UTC-8, Tango Eight wrote:
Is the motivation one of managing power consumption? Honestly, the idea of only switching on the strobe when a flarm contact is received sounds so dim to me that I hardly have the words. Outside of contest flying, far less than 5% of the traffic I see is flarm equipped... Those are the guys I am *least* concerned with bumping into. A) we're flarm equipped, B) they're the experienced guys with good lookout discipline.

I've seen the Schleicher fin mount LED strobe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMdGXX11Bs4

On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 9:31:09 AM UTC-6, Scott Williams wrote:
On Monday, December 12, 2016 at 7:52:30 PM UTC-6, Steve L wrote:
Is there a small streamlined self contained ( 9 volt or AA battery powered) strobe out there on the market that is about the size of a wingtip running light?
Thanks, Steve

A few years ago Tim Mara was Kind enough to include an A.C.R. hand held personal C-Strobe in an order I made. This one uses two AA batteries which would be 3 volts.
If one had the desire and some small skill in fabrication, a "small AA battery powered strobe about the size of a wing tip light" albeit not streamlined could exist. no claim made by me about brightness, duration, or electro magnetic noise.

Scott

Hi Scott,
Not sure what a A.C.R. hand held personal C-Stobe is?
Best

On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 1:40:21 AM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 2:52:30 PM UTC+13, Steve L wrote:
Is there a small streamlined self contained ( 9 volt or AA battery powered) strobe out there on the market that is about the size of a wingtip running light?
Thanks, Steve

I've toyed with the idea of mounting a straight_ahead and straight_ behind strobes borrowed from the bicycle market (on Experimental Airworthiness glider). Their performance is incredible for the cost. I've seen bikes flashing strobes coming at me in sunlight conditions from considerable distances so I think these would have value especially when flying under the shadow of a cloud street.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/articl...cycling-32289/

Aveo makes some more expensive LED lights specifically for aircraft. They're not self contained. I thought the Red Barron Mini might look good on my turtledeck where wiring is pretty easy.
http://www.aveoengineering.com/redbaron-mini/

They market a wingtip light specifically for gliders http://www.aveoengineering.com/gliderburst/

I fly Experimental so the bike light idea appeals to me along with the fact there is no wiring and the price is nice too. Any recommendations on which is the best and which one has the strobe effect?
Best, Steve

Is this the Steve L, famous Wichita glider pilot/collector?

On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 3:17:25 PM UTC-6, Scott Williams wrote:
Is this the Steve L, famous Wichita glider pilot/collector?

Steve L, google acr c-strobe, $25 or so

On Monday, December 12, 2016 at 8:52:30 PM UTC-5, Steve L wrote:
Is there a small streamlined self contained ( 9 volt or AA battery powered) strobe out there on the market that is about the size of a wingtip running light?
Thanks, Steve

If the strobe flashes for 10 mSec once a sec, this is only
0.08 AHr, trivial for 10 AHr bat.

However, I can find no info on the human eye response for
a. minimum flash duration needed
b. maximum at which no further increase improves visibility.

Has anyone found a white LED strip for strobe operation?

JMF