Making gliders visible to GA aircraft
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Also how many glider pilots have their FRTL radio license, and keep in contact with an ATC unit................... If they only could talk on the GA frequencies, they could explain where they are located, for us all to hear and avoid.
Well we could, but somehow I doubt it would help.
Well we could, but somehow I doubt it would help.
SND
Sir Niall - at the risk of more thread drift, I'm genuinely interested in your comment and would like to know how that would work.
Last edited by snapper1; 3rd Mar 2018 at 13:13. Reason: further comedy spelling
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<snip>
I don't know how exhaustive this list is:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._Kingdom#2010s
<snip>
I don't know how exhaustive this list is:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._Kingdom#2010s
<snip>
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Snapper;
My home base is near several gliding sites. Sometimes the gliders call with a quick where they are (busy airspace with adjacent IFR approaches) Those calls give me, as a pilot a good idea of where they are and rough altitude. (and as a glider pilot as well as working helicopter and aeroplane pilot I can often tell from the sound of the vario how well they're doing)
A quick "i'm here" call does wonders for the situational awareness of the rest of us.
SND
My home base is near several gliding sites. Sometimes the gliders call with a quick where they are (busy airspace with adjacent IFR approaches) Those calls give me, as a pilot a good idea of where they are and rough altitude. (and as a glider pilot as well as working helicopter and aeroplane pilot I can often tell from the sound of the vario how well they're doing)
A quick "i'm here" call does wonders for the situational awareness of the rest of us.
SND
Sir Niall, OK, see your point in those circumstances. Where I am the airspace is far less crowded. But we do put in calls to the military on the same basis eg - 'This is where I am and this is what I'm intending to do.' We use Flarm extensively and the locally based RAF trainers are also equipped.
Last edited by snapper1; 3rd Mar 2018 at 13:13. Reason: comedy spelling
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Snapper;
FLARM helps, but as ShyTorque said earlier, fully IFR certified CAT aircraft would require a huge modification to fit it. What the RAF did with the Tutor fleet came out of the midair they had and a taxpayer funded budget. I’m currently working on an ADSB in/out project, which if I can get it to work properly will be available in a fraction of the time, using currently available kit and will be more efficient than FLARM. Everyone understands that there is a problem, most people want solutions, one size never fits all, but hopefully we can get a solution that fits nearly all.
I watched a bunch of airline pilots who fly gliders recently grinding their teeth at the launch point when some club members were telling us their rights, and ignoring common sense. From my point of view ADSB is common sense and a practical way ahead for all in GA.
SND
FLARM helps, but as ShyTorque said earlier, fully IFR certified CAT aircraft would require a huge modification to fit it. What the RAF did with the Tutor fleet came out of the midair they had and a taxpayer funded budget. I’m currently working on an ADSB in/out project, which if I can get it to work properly will be available in a fraction of the time, using currently available kit and will be more efficient than FLARM. Everyone understands that there is a problem, most people want solutions, one size never fits all, but hopefully we can get a solution that fits nearly all.
I watched a bunch of airline pilots who fly gliders recently grinding their teeth at the launch point when some club members were telling us their rights, and ignoring common sense. From my point of view ADSB is common sense and a practical way ahead for all in GA.
SND
Sir Niall (and others) there is a thread running on gliderpilot.net on the same subject which was also started by the OP here on prune. As you would expect there are a range of views. It might be worth a look.
Last edited by snapper1; 3rd Mar 2018 at 13:12. Reason: comedy spelling
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PowerFlarm yes, but a basic flarm box secured to the top of the coming with Velcro that takes it's power from a cigarette lighter socket? A device you can take away with you without needing a screwdriver?
Avoid imitations
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Many IFR aircraft do not have the luxury of a power socket in the cockpit. Reason being that there would then be no control over what was attached to the aircraft electrical system. A different kettle of fish to a glider or other non IFR certificated aircraft.
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FLARM....... the kit avalable
The options for FLARM fitment are very wide and range from the box Velcro fixed to the top of the panel with a small display fed by one antenna to tha remote box with top and bottom antenna displayed on a G500 Nav display with audio warnings routed to the pilots headset.
The effectiveness of the installation is likely to be proportional to the money spent on the system with single antenna systems in metal Aircraft performing particularly badly against traffing approaching from below & behind the Aircraft.
Installation cost is going to be less costly because a lot of Aircraft can install FLARM under EASA CS-STAN keeping the design work to a minimum.
The effectiveness of the installation is likely to be proportional to the money spent on the system with single antenna systems in metal Aircraft performing particularly badly against traffing approaching from below & behind the Aircraft.
Installation cost is going to be less costly because a lot of Aircraft can install FLARM under EASA CS-STAN keeping the design work to a minimum.
