1.   Why does the FLARM Fund promote FLARM mandatory if rentals are available contests?

             For the same reason most states have seatbelt laws.  FLARMs save lives.

             I have to state emphatically here that we are NOT suggesting that anybody

             be required to go out and buy a FLARM.   On the contrary, the concept is

             that FLARMs be Mandatory If Rentals are Available (MIRA)!

        But I can't afford $50 to rent one for a whole contest.

             Then the FLARM Fund will ask the rest of your contest pilots to donate the $50

             you need.  If they don't find it then we, Dale or Carmen Kramer, will find it for you.

        But it is too much of a hassle to deal with the rental FLARM.

             Your contest will have many very helpful FLARM owners and renters.

             There will be an introduction to FLARM usage presented at the mandatory meeting.

             If you still find it too hard to deal with the FLARM info in your cockpit,

             just turn down the volume and hide the FLARM display BUT we still need you

             to have it ON so that others can SEE YOU in the air. 

        But I just don't want anybody to force this on me.

             YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE AFFECTED if you fly without a FLARM.  The

             FLARM equipped aircraft in the contest can only see and avoid a collision with

             you if you have a FLARM turned on in your aircraft.

        But the PowerFLARM you are asking me to buy won't be delivered until .......

             It does not matter when the delivery date is, I want the next appropriate contest

             to already be a MIRA contest.  This is not a new technology,  just a new model. 

             The FLARM collision algorithms have been extensively tested and have been in

             use for years.

        But there are people resisting this just because of this MIRA goal.

             I believe the Fund is shooting for the quickest and safest possible FLARM

             implementation.  I believe there is potential here for INCREASED contest attendence

             from those recreational pilots that don't fly contests because they are afraid of the

             current collision possibilities in a contest environment.  I believe that there are a

             number of pilots that will NOT attend any more contests until MIRA happens.

        Why not just start this out at the Nationals or 'expensive' classes?

             I believe FLARMs are needed just as much in Regionals or a Sports class as

             they may be even more 'dangerous' with less experienced pilots there.

 

   2.  Are you talking about the purchase of PowerFLARMs?

             At the current time, September 2010, yes.  I use the term FLARM to denote

             this type of collision avoidance technology.  Next year it might be SuperFLARM

             but it will still be compatible with PowerFLARM.

 

   3.   Do I need to cancel my current PowerFLARM order to participate?

             No, just agree to participate and I will send you further details.

 

   4.  Why use a FLARM? The times it is most useful is exactly the times to be looking outside,

        not at a display?   OR   Why FLARM when I think there is already too much going on in the

        cockpit?

            Your eyes are the most important collision avoidance tool you have, even with a

             FLARM.  But think of a FLARM as your RIO (Goose in Top Gun) which places a

             second set of eyes and brain in your cockpit.  A set of eyes that has a field of view

             much larger than your eyes and a brain that can calculate the collision potential of

             dozens of aircraft every second, any number of which you may not have seen.  If you

             hear an audible warning from your FLARM and do not see the threat with your outside

             visual scanning, all you need to do is glance quickly at the FLARM display and

             receive information that will re-direct your outside visual scan or help you decide how

             to maneuver in order to bring the threat into view or away from a collision.  You will

            quickly learn to interpret your FLARM warnings and really appreciate your new RIO.

  

   5.  Why commit to FLARM now since these things have a way of evolving pretty quickly; we

        are already into second generation and adoption is clearly not widespread in the US or

        likely to be for years?  OR  Does  FLARM represent a mature technology?

             FLARM has been in operation for 7 years in Europe and is a mature technology with

            13,000 FLARM units now in use worldwide. Also, the software inside each FLARM

            can easily be updated for future capabilities and enhancements.  A significant

            percentage of US competition pilots have already committed to PowerFLARM.  The

            FLARM Fund presents a path that quickly leads to 100% contestant coverage in US

            sanctioned contests making the investment in owning a FLARM even more valuable

            right from the start.

  

   6.  Will there be a compatibility with future ADS-B system?

            The FAA has mandated carriage of ADS-B Out by 2020 in aircraft that require a

            transponder.  Gliders do not require a transponder.  The PowerFLARM already has

            ADS-B 1090ES reception built in. This will guarantee that owners of PowerFLARM

            will have the technology to display accurate collision warnings not just for other

            gliders, but also for the large numbers of commercial and business aircraft that will

            be carrying ADS-B 1090ES Out.

  

   7.  But, I really don't want to be putting something electronic into my aircraft on a last minute

        basis before a contest.

             The portable PowerFLARM that will be used for rentals will have a self contained

             display and rechargeable batteries inside it.  The mounts provided will be easily

             adapted to your glider by suction cups, Velcro or existing instrument panel

             screws.  Most gliders will take only a few minutes to install, with the worst being tens

             of minutes.  You will remove the FLARM box nightly from its quick release mount and

             recharge it from a wall plug.  If you are renting a FLARM and have not used a FLARM

             before, you must be at the contest for at least the practice days and you will have

             plenty of help to install and understand how to use the PowerFLARM. Additionally,

             you will be able to access PowerFLARM instructions with mounting options online

             well in advance of a contest.
 

   8.  But, as a poor college student trying to make it onto the Junior World Team, I honestly

        can't afford that.

             If the extra amount truly breaks your bank we will facilitate FLARM subsidies from

              the contest pilot community.

   9.  I need to know how the FLARM reacts when flying in close proximity to others in

        thermals. Is it a distraction then?

             In small gaggles the warnings seem to be extremely pertinent and worthwhile

              however some people have reported that when thermalling with a LOT of other

              gliders they prefer to double push the FLARMs only button to remove audible

              warnings for 5 minutes.  For further info on gaggle use please see: 

             http://www.gliderpilot.org/Flarm-WhatDoesItDo

  

   10.  But, competing well takes all my focus and additional alarms may or may not be a

          bonus for me.

              The alarms are only for true collision threats.  You can adjust the volume to suit your

               preferences. We recommend that pilots keep the volume up high enough for alarms

               to be an effective warning of midair threats.

  

   11.  What about my carbon fiber fuselage and placement of the antenna?

               The fuselage does somewhat shield the cockpit mounted antenna of the portable

               PowerFLARM used in the rental fleet.  However, this is how FLARMs have been

               used in the rest of the world for 7 years and has proven extremely effective.  Even

               with the cockpit mounted antennae the field of view of the PowerFLARM is much

               greater than what you can see visually.  If you want more complete protection, you

               should purchase the installed version of the PowerFLARM where a second antenna

               is placed in the tail area of your glider.

 

   12.  Last year I flew a few times with a PCAS system. I found it to be distracting and not

           very useful. Will the PowerFLARM is a better device?

                Yes – the PCAS that you likely used is a proximity warning system that does not

                discriminate real collision threats. At most, it only displays distance, altitude and

                rough bearing of the threat and does not project its course.  PowerFLARM uses

                sophisticated software algorithms to limit alarms to other aircraft that are on a true

                collision course if they are carrying another FLARM unit.

 

   13.  What if something 'better' comes along that makes FLARM units incompatible and

          obsolete?

               PowerFLARMs can be upgraded via software uploads.  PowerFLARMs are

                compatible with all FLARMs delivered in the last 7 years. It would be a very poor

                business decision for the manufacturer to develop new products that are not

                compatible with its previous models, especially for collision avoidance instruments.

                It is highly unlikely that a PowerFLARM unit bought today will become obsolete

                within its lifetime.

 

   14.  What if the FAA mandates a different device or method immediately making the

           FLARM obsolete?

                 The FAA has already determined its path with regard to this type of instrument all

                  the way to 2020.  It has mandated ADS-B Out technology for aircraft that require

                  transponders, not gliders.  PowerFLARM includes ADS-B In, giving glider pilots

                  the ability to see aircraft carrying ADS-B Out as required by the FAA.  There is

                  nothing in FLARM that is incompatible with an ADS-B future - the two

                  complement each other.

 

   15.  Wouldn’t requiring FLARM raise the cost and hassle of contests and drive pilots

           away from contest flying as opposed to attracting new contestants?

                This is a conjecture that can not be proven either way.  As a counter to that

                conjecture, I believe that Contest registration could actually increase when potential

                contestants see that efforts are being made to remove the ‘dangerous activity’

                image contests have managed to achieve.  Besides that, renting a PowerFLARM

                increases the cost of a contest by about 5%, or about the cost of one aerotow.

                Purchasing a PowerFLARM increases the cost of a modern 15M-class glider by

               1-2%.  Owning a PowerFLARM increases the average cost of a contest by much

                less than $50 over a contest career. If you consider that PowerFLARMs also include

                an IGC logger that eliminates the need to purchase a separate logger, the net cost

                is even lower.  On a cost/benefit ratio it is hard to turn down the FLARM Fund

                concept of MIRA contests where 100% of the contest gliders around you will have

                FLARMs.