High Vis Markings

With all the posts regarding collision avoidance electronics, I was wondering about high vis markings.

Seems like many of us put thousands of dollars into electronics and nothing into high vis markings.

Kinda hard to believe the infinite wisdom master has not mandated it, and especially since a transposer is not required.

On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 9:23:37 AM UTC-5, Casey wrote:
With all the posts regarding collision avoidance electronics, I was wondering about high vis markings.

Seems like many of us put thousands of dollars into electronics and nothing into high vis markings.



Kinda hard to believe the infinite wisdom master has not mandated it, and especially since a transponder is not required.

On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 6:30:10 AM UTC-8, Casey wrote:
On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 9:23:37 AM UTC-5, Casey wrote:
With all the posts regarding collision avoidance electronics, I was wondering about high vis markings.

Seems like many of us put thousands of dollars into electronics and nothing into high vis markings.



Kinda hard to believe the infinite wisdom master has not mandated it, and especially since a transponder is not required.

Actually, kind of hard to believe it is not illegal under US contest rules, because it makes leeching easier .

There could be vis paint applied that changes color for stealth mode. May have to apply current to the paint, otherwise it would be just changing all the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl8LWTX9Guo


Actually, kind of hard to believe it is not illegal under US contest rules, because it makes leeching easier .

On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 9:23:37 AM UTC-5,
I was wondering about high vis markings.
...the infinite wisdom master has not mandated it

High vis marking is mandated in some parts of the world (French Alps?). But it is controversial whether they help or hurt in all contexts. Some people conclude that the markings work as camouflage because they erode the edge of the plane's outline/silhouette.

There was someone in the UK that got good results with putting mirror tape on ailerons that flashed sun glint to overtaking planes when the glider was on final.

Sun glint is promising. I will someday get around to experimenting with Bird Scare Ribbon streamers on my wing tips or perhaps on the tips of my horizontal stabilizer.
http://www.amazon.com/100-Foot-2-Inc...ords=bird+tape

On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 10:13:43 AM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 9:23:37 AM UTC-5,
I was wondering about high vis markings.
...the infinite wisdom master has not mandated it

High vis marking is mandated in some parts of the world (French Alps?). But it is controversial whether they help or hurt in all contexts. Some people conclude that the markings work as camouflage because they erode the edge of the plane's outline/silhouette.

There was someone in the UK that got good results with putting mirror tape on ailerons that flashed sun glint to overtaking planes when the glider was on final.

Sun glint is promising. I will someday get around to experimenting with Bird Scare Ribbon streamers on my wing tips or perhaps on the tips of my horizontal stabilizer.
http://www.amazon.com/100-Foot-2-Inc...ords=bird+tape

You might want to do some testing on how draggy those streamers would be - a simple test using a car might be instructional.

My gut feeling is that any length long enough to be useful would be pretty draggy!

Let us know.

Kirk

On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 12:19:47 PM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:

My gut feeling is that any length long enough to be useful would be pretty draggy!

I figure the wing tip is already very draggy. How much worse could it get? I'm thinking about 12" would work as the tape acts like a signal mirror picking up the sun glint. The wing tip turbulence means it passes through a lot of different angles.

As stated above the anti-collision markings are mandated in France, and they have been proven to work! Fluorescent orange is not a color in nature and it stands out against a snowy or cloudy background. There are called High Visability marking for a reason. There is an article somewhere on-line about the effectiveness of these markings. France has mandated Flarm now and had a significant reduction in collisions.

Take a look at the Schleicher web site, they offer a LED strobe strip in the vertical fin (it is part of leading edge so no aerodynamic penalties). With an LX ACL controller the strobe fires when there is a Flarm alert! I am surprised all manufactures do not just include this unit is the base price and not even make it optional.

The big sky theory is as valid as cold fusion.

Alisport has been offering LED strobe on fin of the Silent 2 Electro for several yrs.

On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 2:22:53 PM UTC-5, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
As stated above the anti-collision markings are mandated in France, and they have been proven to work! Fluorescent orange is not a color in nature and it stands out against a snowy or cloudy background. There are called High Visability marking for a reason. There is an article somewhere on-line about the effectiveness of these markings. France has mandated Flarm now and had a significant reduction in collisions.

Take a look at the Schleicher web site, they offer a LED strobe strip in the vertical fin (it is part of leading edge so no aerodynamic penalties). With an LX ACL controller the strobe fires when there is a Flarm alert! I am surprised all manufactures do not just include this unit is the base price and not even make it optional.

The big sky theory is as valid as cold fusion.

On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 1:17:50 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 12:19:47 PM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:

My gut feeling is that any length long enough to be useful would be pretty draggy!

I figure the wing tip is already very draggy. How much worse could it get? I'm thinking about 12" would work as the tape acts like a signal mirror picking up the sun glint. The wing tip turbulence means it passes through a lot of different angles.

Like I said, try it out first, you may be surprised. Think of the hardware needed to attach the ribbon, or are you going to just tape it to the trailing edge? So now you have 12 inches of tape flapping in the wind - It can get a LOT worse! Or you may have come up with the best thing since sliced bread ;^)

So please, give it a try and report back!

I have orange wingtips and rudder, and other pilots have commented on how visible they make me - especially against a white background. Wouldn't fly without them...

Kirk

Kirk