Flarm in 2011 USA Contests

The USA Rules Committee has published a document detailing the
decisions taken and background relating to Flarm usage in 2011 USA
contests. The document can be accessed via the link below:

http://www.ssa.org/files/member/2011FlarmUSA.pdf

For the committee,

John Godfrey (QT)
USA Rules Committee

On Nov 16, 6:14*pm, "John Godfrey (QT)"
wrote:
The USA Rules Committee has published a document detailing the
decisions taken and background relating to Flarm usage in 2011 USA
contests. The document can be accessed via the link below:

http://www.ssa.org/files/member/2011FlarmUSA.pdf

For the committee,

John Godfrey (QT)
USA Rules Committee

Well done. Thanks guys. We appreciate the detail.

-Evan Ludeman / T8 (...hoping to be flying with PowerFlarm at Perry)

On Nov 16, 6:14*pm, "John Godfrey (QT)"
wrote:
The USA Rules Committee has published a document detailing the
decisions taken and background relating to Flarm usage in 2011 USA
contests. The document can be accessed via the link below:

http://www.ssa.org/files/member/2011FlarmUSA.pdf

For the committee,

John Godfrey (QT)
USA Rules Committee

Again, thanks and well done,
Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"

Well done.

Paul Remde

"John Godfrey (QT)" wrote in message
...
The USA Rules Committee has published a document detailing the
decisions taken and background relating to Flarm usage in 2011 USA
contests. The document can be accessed via the link below:

http://www.ssa.org/files/member/2011FlarmUSA.pdf

For the committee,

John Godfrey (QT)
USA Rules Committee

Wow - a severe outbreak of common sense seems to have overtaken the
committee!

Mike

On Nov 16, 9:29*pm, Mike the Strike wrote:
Wow - a severe outbreak of common sense seems to have overtaken the
committee!

Mike

Outbreak of common sense.. ok I would like to entertain the idea of
the SSA doing something for all the SSA members. I noticed there is a
discount for group buying of the new USA FLARMS. Why is it that the
SSA Director has not conducted negotiations with the FLARM
manufacturer and created an opportunity for all the SSA members to
receive a discount through an "SSA FLARM GROUP PURCHASE" ? Seems to
me that might be a real win win for all involved. Members might be
able to purchase the units for $1,000 or so...

But I might be expecting too much of the SSA. So as a member of a
small club I'll have to decide if the cost is worth it...

Oh I do intend to purchase a FLARM myself.

Steve
S9

On 11/16/2010 7:42 PM, Stephen wrote:
On Nov 16, 9:29 pm, Mike the wrote:

Wow - a severe outbreak of common sense seems to have overtaken the
committee!

Mike

Outbreak of common sense.. ok I would like to entertain the idea of
the SSA doing something for all the SSA members. I noticed there is a
discount for group buying of the new USA FLARMS. Why is it that the
SSA Director has not conducted negotiations with the FLARM
manufacturer and created an opportunity for all the SSA members to
receive a discount through an "SSA FLARM GROUP PURCHASE" ? Seems to
me that might be a real win win for all involved. Members might be
able to purchase the units for $1,000 or so...

But I might be expecting too much of the SSA. So as a member of a
small club I'll have to decide if the cost is worth it...

Oh I do intend to purchase a FLARM myself.

I suggest you ask your Regional director. It might be something simple
like "The PowerFlarm company won't do it that way". From the Craggy Aero
site, the group purchase requirements are...

* A group does not need to be an officially sanctioned club by the SSA.
* Generally, a local club operating on an airfield is our model.
* **The group needs to be based at one airfield* *so that the
benefit is appreciated by the participants.


Regardless, your director will know the answer or can easily get it for you.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl
- "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation Mar/2004" Much of what you need to know tinyurl.com/yfs7tnz

Am 17.11.2010 04:55, Eric Greenwell wrote:
On 11/16/2010 7:42 PM, Stephen wrote:
On Nov 16, 9:29 pm, Mike the wrote:
Wow - a severe outbreak of common sense seems to have overtaken the
committee!

Mike
Outbreak of common sense.. ok I would like to entertain the idea of
the SSA doing something for all the SSA members. I noticed there is a
discount for group buying of the new USA FLARMS. Why is it that the
SSA Director has not conducted negotiations with the FLARM
manufacturer and created an opportunity for all the SSA members to
receive a discount through an "SSA FLARM GROUP PURCHASE" ? Seems to
me that might be a real win win for all involved. Members might be
able to purchase the units for $1,000 or so...

But I might be expecting too much of the SSA. So as a member of a
small club I'll have to decide if the cost is worth it...

Oh I do intend to purchase a FLARM myself.
I suggest you ask your Regional director. It might be something simple
like "The PowerFlarm company won't do it that way". From the Craggy Aero
site, the group purchase requirements are...

* A group does not need to be an officially sanctioned club by the SSA.
* Generally, a local club operating on an airfield is our model.
* **The group needs to be based at one airfield* *so that the
benefit is appreciated by the participants.


Regardless, your director will know the answer or can easily get it for
you.

In Germany we get rebates of 5% / 10% / 15% for group orders of 6+ / 10+
/ 20+ FLARM units. You don't have to be a formal group like a club, an
informal group of individuals will do fine.

Normally, someone puts a small ad on the website of segeflug.de, seeking
for other people wanting to join in to get a better rebate.

This works well since several years, and by this method I got my FLARM
for my newly purchased glider for a reasonable price.
--
Peter Scholz
ASW24 JE

At 03:18 17 November 2010, Paul Remde wrote:
Well done.

Paul Remde

"John Godfrey (QT)" wrote in message
...
The USA Rules Committee has published a document detailing the
decisions taken and background relating to Flarm usage in 2011 USA
contests. The document can be accessed via the link below:

http://www.ssa.org/files/member/2011FlarmUSA.pdf

For the committee,

John Godfrey (QT)
USA Rules Committee

While I am not directly concerned as I am a competition director in the UK
I am concerned with one aspect of FLARM in competitions;

4. Stealth or other restrictions. We are not imposing stealth or other
restrictions at this time. We may impose restrictions later, and may do so
on a contest by contest basis.

Current UK rules do require stealth restrictions during competitions and
as a director I am uncomfortable with this on two main grounds.
The first is that the use of STEALTH mode degrades the performance of an
instrument which is designed to enhance flight safety. While it is fine
for an individual pilot to make a decision to do that I am extremely
uncomfortable with requiring someone to degrade a unit and therefore
safety. I am pretty sure that even a British court would take a very dim
view of that were there to be an accident. Whether a court would find me
personally liable I have no way of knowing and given the only way of
finding out I prefer to remain ignorant.
The other concern is that the requirement is un-enforcable. FLARM is an
open technology and while it is possible to check an instrument installed
in the glider it is not possible to check and undeclared FLARM unit
carried by the pilot, searching pilots before they get into their glider
is not likely to ever be acceptable. It is comparatively easy to have a
non--stealth unit available. A rule that cannot be enforced should never
be made.
Personally I prefer the route you have taken at the moment, accept that
those with FLARM may receive an advantage from it's use. This alone may
encourage pilots to fit FLARM and if everyone has it the playing field is
at least level. In my opinion it would be unwise, given the nature of your
courts, to mandate the use of stealth mode.

On Nov 16, 4:14*pm, "John Godfrey (QT)"
wrote:
The USA Rules Committee has published a document detailing the
decisions taken and background relating to Flarm usage in 2011 USA
contests. The document can be accessed via the link below:

http://www.ssa.org/files/member/2011FlarmUSA.pdf

For the committee,

John Godfrey (QT)
USA Rules Committee

Thanks to all of you that took the time to consider this and to
prepare the report.

Andy (GY)