Marc Ramsey wrote:

As for FLARM, it's not clear when, or if, they
will get (communications) regulatory approval for use anywhere other
than Switzerland.

The story is this: In Switzerland, we had a couple of glider midairs
during the last couple of years. FLARM was developed by a group of
technically educated soaring pilots to address this problem. They didn't
try to develop a standard or something, but just went and built the
thing. If it works, publication of the protocol will and standardisation
may follow.

The Swiss FOCA was helpful, cooperative and unbureaucratic, maybe this
is simpler in a small country in which the soaring community is like a
small village and many people at the FOCA soar themselves. Many glider
clubs supported the development by blindly placing orders for FLARM
before it was even working. This was a crucial point, which only works
in a "small village envinronment" and in a club driven glider scene.

Last season, the first few FLARMs were installed. We expect many more to
be installed during the winter. We are looking at the next season to be
a big beta test of the thing. The key is that many glider clubs were
willing to risk some money and support the development, and that
Switzerland is relatively small (well... absolutely, to be honest), so
chances are high that the glider you'll meet enroute will be FLARM
equipped, too.

If the next year shows that FLARM really works, then I'm sure it will
make its way to the rest of Europe. Not sure about the US.

Stefan