On Monday, June 10, 2013 12:15:16 PM UTC-7, Ramy wrote:
Sooner or later those who insist on never installing a flarm will find themselves less popular among their flying buddies who went through the trouble of installing. You may hear on the radio "watch out for a bozo flying around without flarm". My message to those who can afford a powerflarm but don't think they need it: Install one anyway and turn the display off if you want. At least we will be able to see and avoid you. You may never know that it saved your butt.

Ramy
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Amen Ramy - I was sympathetic to the rationalizing by those who didn't fly with PowerFlarm or Transponders - until I got both. Both arguments are exactly the same - just focused on different traffic types. That argument is: "big sky, little glider, I don't need it".

You correctly point out the big cultural difference between the two - a transponder protect you and airline passengers, PowerFlarm protects you and your soaring buddies. I care that you don't run into an airliner, but it's an intellectual exercise. I care that you don't run into me because it's personal.

Lacking a PowerFlarm is becoming the path to being a pariah at contests. I see it being taken up at commercial operations too and I suspect the more active clubs are adopting. We'll see how long the diehard opponents last.

9B