PowerFLARM updates and installation notes

On Tuesday, June 5, 2012 8:50:22 AM UTC-5, Steve Leonard wrote:
On Jun 4, 10:42*pm, Frank Whiteley wrote:

I'd recommend 3M Dual-Lock, much stronger than Velcro or other hook and loop fasteners for your delicate electronic gear, especially if movable between your mistresses. *Typically 5X stronger.http://tinyurl.com/7u7t6q5

Frank Whiteley


Just to be contrary, Frank, I do NOT like the Dual-Lock. It takes
considerably more pressure to engage than regualr velcro. And more
pressure over a larger area (the strip they supply with the portable
takes considerable force to engage if you put it on two, flat, firm
surfaces) means you have to push down pretty hard on the top of the
case of that device to get the stuff to engage. More than once, I had
it come loose and slide down the slope of the glareshield of the
Nimbus. Installation for the one flight so far in the BS1 was with
black electrical tape over the top of it. It never even thought of
trying to move. This is not a good, permanent solution for my
portable, but mine won't get held down with Dual-Lock. I am looking
in to brackets and using the small, threaded mounting holes for each
installation.

Steve Leonard

When I flew with a portable last year at Region 10 I built a little shelf that extended from the left canopy rail in front of the instrument panel. Picture of the shelf he https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V...YYYCockpit.JPG

I have no idea what the range was with this but it was good enough that I saw Frank a few times during the contest and got a collision alert once or twice in the start cylinder when he was nearby. We were the only ones with PowerFlarm...

I don't have a glareshield in the Cherokee so that is as good as it gets for placement, unless I want to mount it outside in front of the canopy and build a fairing around that...

Eventually I suppose there will be a brick in my future, but for now I'll probably keep borrowing/renting a portable for contests.