Status US PowerFLARM shipments

Pilots have been flying in Uvalde and feedback is positive, see
postings on R.A.S and other locations e.g. John Cochrane:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...0c70618a?hl=en

Nevertheless there are some issues which require our attention:

FLARM range
Some of the pilots have reported a very short range on the FLARM
transmissions (0.2nm). This is of course too little, as an effective
collision warning requires 1.5nm of minimum range.
Our R&D reacted quickly (not all of Europe is on vacation in August)
and sent out a firmware update which records FLARM range, battery
level, internal temperature and many other parameters into a
diagnostic file.
With the help of some of the affected pilots we were able to acquire
data and defective devices, which have been analyzed.
We have tracked the issue to a batch of defective FLARM RF antennas.
Shipments are on hold while we exchange these antennas, but should
resume after Labor Day.
Existing customers should hold on to their units while we set up a
diagnosis and repair program.

Battery
Runtimes as little as three hours have been reported. This was caused
by the very high temperatures at Uvalde, the PowerFLARM internal
temperature sensor measured up to 160 degree Fahrenheit inside the
housing. Rechargeable Ni-MH batteries deliver less than half their
capacity at those temperatures. Runtimes in 'normal' temperatures have
been confirmed at 6h+

The following recommendations will extend battery life:

1) Reduce Display Brightness
The PowerFLARM LCD display is 'transflective' which means that the
brightness is dominated by how much light falls onto the display. In
fact the brightness setting (of the backlight) makes no difference in
full sunlight.
Reducing the 'Brightness' setting (in Settings/Brightness) can extend
battery life by up to 15%

2) Use alkaline batteries in hot environments
In high temperatures, Alkaline batteries do not degrade as much as the
consumer Ni-MH rechargeables.
High temperature rechargeable batteries are available, we are in the
process of testing.
We will work with dealers and the rental program to make rechargeable
batteries and chargers ? suitable for high temperatures available.

3) Power from aircrafts 12V supply
But make sure no alkaline batteries are inserted when applying
external power!

4) Reduction in power consumption
We will implement firmware improvements which will further reduce the
power consumption of PowerFLARM.


The FLARM Team
August 27, 2011

On Aug 28, 1:45*pm, ursus wrote:
Pilots have been flying in Uvalde and feedback is positive, see
postings on R.A.S and other locations e.g. John Cochrane:http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a.../788ec3b10c706...

Nevertheless there are some issues which require our attention:

FLARM range
Some of the pilots have reported a very short range on the FLARM
transmissions (0.2nm). This is of course too little, as an effective
collision warning requires 1.5nm of minimum range.
Our R&D reacted quickly (not all of Europe is on vacation in August)
and sent out a firmware update which records FLARM range, battery
level, internal temperature and many other parameters into a
diagnostic file.
With the help of some of the affected pilots we were able to acquire
data and defective devices, which have been analyzed.
We have tracked the issue to a batch of defective FLARM RF antennas.
Shipments are on hold while we exchange these antennas, but should
resume after Labor Day.
Existing customers should hold on to their units while we set up a
diagnosis and repair program.

Battery
Runtimes as little as three hours have been reported. This was caused
by the very high temperatures at Uvalde, the PowerFLARM internal
temperature sensor measured up to 160 degree Fahrenheit inside the
housing. Rechargeable Ni-MH batteries deliver less than half their
capacity at those temperatures. Runtimes in 'normal' temperatures have
been confirmed at 6h+

The following recommendations will extend battery life:

1) Reduce Display Brightness
The PowerFLARM LCD display is 'transflective' which means that the
brightness is dominated by how much light falls onto the display. In
fact the brightness setting (of the backlight) makes no difference in
full sunlight.
Reducing the 'Brightness' setting (in Settings/Brightness) can extend
battery life by up to 15%

2) Use alkaline batteries in hot environments
In high temperatures, Alkaline batteries do not degrade as much as the
consumer Ni-MH rechargeables.
High temperature rechargeable batteries are available, we are in the
process of testing.
We will work with dealers and the rental program to make rechargeable
batteries and chargers ? suitable for high temperatures available.

3) Power from aircrafts 12V supply
But make sure no alkaline batteries are inserted when applying
external power!

4) Reduction in power consumption
We will implement firmware improvements which will further reduce the
power consumption of PowerFLARM.

The FLARM Team
August 27, 2011

Thanks Urs. I wasn't at Uvalde, but heard about all those issues via
"jungle telegraph". Glad you are on it.

What is the design range for PowerFlarm?

What is typical current draw from a 12V system?

Any update on PCAS or logger functions?

-Evan Ludeman / T8

First, thank you for these updates as they go a long way towards
helping us understand the challenges involved and keeping the
customers in the loop.

Second, after flying with the PFLARM in Uvalde I have grown to
appreciate what a majority of the rest of the soaring world already
knew, FLARM works. There are times when the unit displays multiple
threats in a big tight gaggle but it mostly stays quite except when
there is a real potential of collision. After seeing the device in
action on several occasions during Uvalde I was impressed with the
accuracy of the threat detection.

On one day a PFLARM equipped glider had to take a relight and overflew
the 15/18 meter grid to land. You could hear the FLARM alerts starting
at the back of the grid rolling forward as the glider passed overhead.
The landing gliders FLARM never went off as a testimony to the threat
detection. He could have hit us but we could never have hit him.

I never thought I would be happy about adding a brick to my glider.

John Seaborn

Alpha Eight wrote:
First, thank you for these updates as they go a long way towards
helping us understand the challenges involved and keeping the
customers in the loop.

Second, after flying with the PFLARM in Uvalde I have grown to
appreciate what a majority of the rest of the soaring world already
knew, FLARM works. There are times when the unit displays multiple
threats in a big tight gaggle but it mostly stays quite except when
there is a real potential of collision. After seeing the device in
action on several occasions during Uvalde I was impressed with the
accuracy of the threat detection.

On one day a PFLARM equipped glider had to take a relight and overflew
the 15/18 meter grid to land. You could hear the FLARM alerts starting
at the back of the grid rolling forward as the glider passed overhead.
The landing gliders FLARM never went off as a testimony to the threat
detection. He could have hit us but we could never have hit him.

I never thought I would be happy about adding a brick to my glider.

John Seaborn




BTW the landing glider's PowerFLARM did not warn of threats as
stationary/on the ground FLARM/PowerFLARM units do not transmit signals.
I suspect this is done for many reasons including you do not want to
distract pilots when they are landing. Just another example of an all
round impressive system.

Darryl

On Aug 29, 8:48*am, Darryl Ramm wrote:
BTW the landing glider's PowerFLARM did not *warn of threats as
stationary/on the ground FLARM/PowerFLARM units do not transmit signals.
I suspect this is done for many reasons including you do not want to
distract pilots when they are landing. Just another example of an all
round impressive system.

Darryl

The aircraft on the ground actually do transmit a signal, but alarms
are being suppressed for landing gliders as it would distract the
pilot too much.
Urs

On Aug 29, 11:54*am, ursus wrote:
On Aug 29, 8:48*am, Darryl Ramm wrote:

BTW the landing glider's PowerFLARM did not *warn of threats as
stationary/on the ground FLARM/PowerFLARM units do not transmit signals..
I suspect this is done for many reasons including you do not want to
distract pilots when they are landing. Just another example of an all
round impressive system.

Darryl

The aircraft on the ground actually do transmit a signal, but alarms
are being suppressed for landing gliders as it would distract the
pilot too much.
Urs

Under what "landing" conditions are alarms suppressed? I'd certinly
like to be alerted to an opposite base head on with another glider or
a tug.

Andy wrote:
On Aug 29, 11:54 am, ursus wrote:
On Aug 29, 8:48 am, Darryl Ramm wrote:

BTW the landing glider's PowerFLARM did not warn of threats as
stationary/on the ground FLARM/PowerFLARM units do not transmit
signals.
I suspect this is done for many reasons including you do not want
to
distract pilots when they are landing. Just another example of an
all
round impressive system.

Darryl

The aircraft on the ground actually do transmit a signal, but alarms
are being suppressed for landing gliders as it would distract the
pilot too much.
Urs

Under what "landing" conditions are alarms suppressed? I'd certinly
like to be alerted to an opposite base head on with another glider or
a tug.


They are suppressed if the other glider is on the ground. Don't know the
exact details of what counts as on the ground. I've had similar
comments from folks at other busy fields how well this works and Urs
explained it to me at a seminar, and I still got it backward. Sorry.
Sigh.

Darryl