But the strobe on its own doesn't really help, you need a strobe detector also, and how well does that work in cloud? Normally I see a potentially conflicting aircraft in VMC long before I see its strobe. How many detectors do you need for 3 dimensional detection?
Strobe + strobe detector, cost = ? Do strobe detect and display systems currently exist?
FLARM exists, is low power and affordable. Using GPS position information it is much more informative than the relative crudeness of transponder based solutions. I was astonished to hear from a CAA Technical expert that the position information contained in Mode S extended squitter is not used by TCAS systems, and there are no proposals to do this until ADS-B comes along sometime/never.
The proportion of cross-country gliders fitted with FLARM is almost certianly higher than the proportion of small powered aircraft (Group A, Microlights, LAA permit) fitted with TCAS.
If all VMC air users want a practical solution that can be fitted to virtually all relevant aircraft, rather than saying 'you must do it my way' then one answer exists.
I have FLARM. There is no current TCAS sytem/Transponder that I can practicably fit. I don't have a philosophical objection, just practical engineering.
Head down for incomimg........................
Last edited by Fitter2; 28th Aug 2008 at 18:21.
Reason: Dyslexic fingers