Notable Power Flarm saves - Is it 'worth it'?

When I installed Power Flarm (PF) in 2013, I had no idea whether it would ever 'save my butt'. Not many people have it in my area.

Last October I was flying by myself on a weekday in the Sugarbush Wave, at 8000 climbing, and squawking 1202 (on a TT21 that came with the glider). I gave Burlington Approach a position report 20 minutes prior. I'm monitoring Approach freq and 123.3, gently orbiting a point to figure out the 'sweet spot' of the wave, and doing a continuous 360 scan for traffic. Wind aloft is 30 knots. Gentle wave.

The sky is crystal clear blue. Zero clouds. Peak foliage. Adirondack mountains visible on the far side of a deep blue Lake Champlain. More peaks visible in every direction. Weather is warm and dry. I'm feeling lucky.

I overhear Approach advise a Cirrus of my position. 'Step up' my scan... no traffic. Relax, keep looking. The ADS-B Flarm alarm goes off. Adrenaline jolt. Scan harder... Closing traffic 11 o'clock. Nose down, steep right 90.... Quick glance at the bottom of a shiny new Cirrus. Oh my...

Cirrus pilot to Approach: 'um... we just missed that glider'.

I get about one PF Alert a year. This was the first time that I saw the traffic. When alerts are rare, they provoke a 100% response. I have zero 'Cry Wolf' complacency from alert_fatigue. So for this reason, I think PF is very effective in low traffic areas. It only takes ONE significant alert to justify the costs.

I'm with you - I wouldn't fly without my PowerFlarm. At about $1800 it's cheaper than a parachute, which I also wouldn't fly without. I don't really know how many potential collisions my PowerFlarm has alerted me to since 2012, but it has more than repaid its initial cost, simply from peace of mind. Maybe it's my old eyes, but I find gliders and SE aircraft are quite difficult to see at altitude when they're more than a mile away. The extra help the PowerFlarm gives to my scan is very much appreciated...

-John, Q3

On Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 10:59:26 AM UTC-4, son_of_flubber wrote:
When I installed Power Flarm (PF) in 2013, I had no idea whether it would ever 'save my butt'. Not many people have it in my area.

Last October I was flying by myself on a weekday in the Sugarbush Wave, at 8000 climbing, and squawking 1202 (on a TT21 that came with the glider). I gave Burlington Approach a position report 20 minutes prior. I'm monitoring Approach freq and 123.3, gently orbiting a point to figure out the 'sweet spot' of the wave, and doing a continuous 360 scan for traffic. Wind aloft is 30 knots. Gentle wave.

The sky is crystal clear blue. Zero clouds. Peak foliage. Adirondack mountains visible on the far side of a deep blue Lake Champlain. More peaks visible in every direction. Weather is warm and dry. I'm feeling lucky.

I overhear Approach advise a Cirrus of my position. 'Step up' my scan... no traffic. Relax, keep looking. The ADS-B Flarm alarm goes off. Adrenaline jolt. Scan harder... Closing traffic 11 o'clock. Nose down, steep right 90... Quick glance at the bottom of a shiny new Cirrus. Oh my...

Cirrus pilot to Approach: 'um... we just missed that glider'.

I get about one PF Alert a year. This was the first time that I saw the traffic. When alerts are rare, they provoke a 100% response. I have zero 'Cry Wolf' complacency from alert_fatigue. So for this reason, I think PF is very effective in low traffic areas. It only takes ONE significant alert to justify the costs.

With me, the bonus is knowing the altitude differential, which informs my decision on how to avoid. If he's higher, descend and turn to acquire visually, if lower, trade airspeed for altitude while turning to acquire visually.. On the admittedly rare occasions when the target is overtaking, you can avoid, whereas before, you'd only be aware by a target flashing by, or that disconcerting sound of an engine getting louder (for GA targets).

I really like my PowerFLARM. It was worth it to me.

On Sat, 28 Apr 2018 09:36:00 -0700, Dan Daly wrote:

.... or that disconcerting sound of an engine getting
louder (for GA targets).

Tell me about it! It only really worrying one of those I've
had was very much pre-FLARM. I was in a Discus, so not much rear vision:
I much prefer a Pegase, not least for its much better rear view. In this
case decided not to turn since I didn't know where he was except 'behind'
and fairly close because I could hear him but not see him. After what
seemed like a long time he came fairly slowly past my right tip 50-60m
away.

And then, within a month or so of that incident, I was running along a
nice street when I met GA pilot coming head-on down the street at the
same height - playing at being a glider by the look of it. At least he
had his landing light on, so was easy enough to see.

I really like my PowerFLARM. It was worth it to me.

Agreed. Since I've had FLARM I think all but one its warnings have either
been at quite long range or for traffic I'd already seen: that one made
having FLARM worthwhile since it was under a large dark cloud near a
turnpoint and which seemed to have a single energy line under it - which
we were both using.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

On Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 10:43:47 AM UTC-7, Martin Gregorie wrote:
On Sat, 28 Apr 2018 09:36:00 -0700, Dan Daly wrote:

.... or that disconcerting sound of an engine getting
louder (for GA targets).

Tell me about it! It only really worrying one of those I've
had was very much pre-FLARM. I was in a Discus, so not much rear vision:
I much prefer a Pegase, not least for its much better rear view. In this
case decided not to turn since I didn't know where he was except 'behind'
and fairly close because I could hear him but not see him. After what
seemed like a long time he came fairly slowly past my right tip 50-60m
away.

And then, within a month or so of that incident, I was running along a
nice street when I met GA pilot coming head-on down the street at the
same height - playing at being a glider by the look of it. At least he
had his landing light on, so was easy enough to see.

I really like my PowerFLARM. It was worth it to me.

Agreed. Since I've had FLARM I think all but one its warnings have either
been at quite long range or for traffic I'd already seen: that one made
having FLARM worthwhile since it was under a large dark cloud near a
turnpoint and which seemed to have a single energy line under it - which
we were both using.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

I've yet to be warned of something I didn't already know was there. The catch to that is that PowerFlarm informs me of a lot that is there that I would not have otherwise seen. It picks them up at a much greater distance than warning range, and now I know to look for them. The improvement in situational awareness is by far its largest asset. With it and the targets on the screen, getting a warning is really a dope slap: "Hey Stupid! I told you they were there...."

It is similarly a great help in crowded thermals, keeping track of the guys out or your field of vision.

Yes, PF saved my butt once. I was flying in front of another glider as we both made our way up the Pine Nuts. He was half a click behind at the same altitude. I hit some lift and rolled left to center it. unbeknownst to me, he also rolled left to improve his energy line, and didn't see me turn. I came around half of a turn and the flarm went nuts. We were head to head, and very close. I didn't see him right away, but banked sharply left, and he banked right. We passed each other, belly to belly.

Title is "Notable Power Flarm saves - is it worth it"?

The answer is, it is worth it BEFORE it saves your bacon! When it saves your "bacon" is when it pays off. As noted by J Fitch, who somehow can get situational awareness off a tiny winny iPhone screen Imagine a 7 inch screen mounted in panel that tells where your traffic is and color codes it as to below (green), above (blue) or same level (red). Now imagine this same device actually telling you while graphically showing you where to look, "Traffic 20 feet above 1/2 mile". That is a lot of situational sh*t for your awareness.

There's a personality type that won't be convinced. I stopped to talk to a pilot who was launching on a wave day at Minden. Foehn gap was dynamic, tentacles moving and reaching in with drizzle earlier as I drove north on Foothill to Minden airport. The gap, and a lone sucker hole about half way to the Pinenuts, were the only holes through an otherwise solid deck at about 9,000'.

He was the only one launching in his Carat. I'd asked him before about no chute, said they were uncomfortable, I suggested he sit in my glider to see what he thought - he countered, "You don't use a chute in your Mooney, do you? Well, my Carat is certified too".

He was relatively new to soaring, so I cautioned him about going above and leaving the gap. He said he wouldn't do that as he didn't have O2 because of a slow leak - he declined my offer to fill his tank. There was more, but to keep it short . . . he died that day as I was eating lunch at the Taildragger. He was a retired airline pilot, lot's of experience but no attitude gyro. Kept his GPS off in the side pocket until he needed it. He went IMC. The debris field was 5 miles long. My golden retriever and I would be the last to ever greet him.

Really good pilots don't need Flarm. Don't need a chute either. He was not THAT good.

Sobering point, Bumper.
He was excited to have retired to Minden, and it didn't last very long.

For me the "convinced" box was checked in November 2007, nearly two years into owning a more primitive FLARM.

I wonder if this thread would be any different if titled:
"Notable automotive seat belt saves"
Jim

On Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 7:17:28 PM UTC-7, bumper wrote:
There's a personality type that won't be convinced....

On Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 7:02:21 PM UTC-7, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
Title is "Notable Power Flarm saves - is it worth it"?

The answer is, it is worth it BEFORE it saves your bacon! When it saves your "bacon" is when it pays off. As noted by J Fitch, who somehow can get situational awareness off a tiny winny iPhone screen Imagine a 7 inch screen mounted in panel that tells where your traffic is and color codes it as to below (green), above (blue) or same level (red). Now imagine this same device actually telling you while graphically showing you where to look, "Traffic 20 feet above 1/2 mile". That is a lot of situational sh*t for your awareness.

Actually my tiny 5.7" iPhone screen does all of that too. I think those who only have the old (or new) Flarm screen are missing a lot of the value. If those targets are always on your tactical screen, you already know where to look for them before the Bitchin' Betty starts to bark.