All the buzz about PowerFLARM

(with apologies to Buzz G.)

On Thu, Nov 4, 2010 at 6:55 PM, Buzz G. <buzz.g...> wrote:
> You guys tempted to fly this weekend?  Nam is showing some possible lift
> over the high country.
>
> Assuming you both went to the PASCO event, Any first impression on FLARM
> presentation...is it real, useful and mature enough to sign up?

I am excused from flying. My insurance switched to ground-only on Nov 1st.

I liked the PASCO PowerFLARM presentation a lot. The need for FLARM was demonstrated (and reinforced) clearly and convincingly:



So yes, IMO it is real, useful and mature enough to sign up (and I have signed up long time ago).

FLARM technology itself *is* plenty stable and mature in Europe with 7 years of experience and ~14,000 deployed units.

Whether the device marketed in the US (PowerFLARM) is mature is a slightly different question. The strict answer is no, by definition -- it has not been deployed yet. But it stands on the shoulders of giants: the FLARM piece of it is fully compatible with Euro FLARM, designed by the same FLARM people to the same specs and runs identical software. On top of it it adds extended range (a bit more power into RF transmitter) and a more powerful CPU. I asked Urs what it would do to the power consumption and he said it did nothing. This is because of more modern hardware -- newer CPU consumes less power.

The big unknown is the non-FLARM piece of it. How good of an ADS-B In implementation is it? Perhaps more importantly, how good is its transponder detector (PCAS)? I asked some questions around it too. I complained about recurring Zaon MRX reliability problems and mentioned static charge on the canopy (very close to MRX antenna) as the likely cause. Urs said it's a known issue and Butterfly (PowerFLARM manufacturer) tested their hardware to withstand 15,000 Volt discharge through the antennas -- 1.5 times the maximum expected charge on acrylic canopy. Apparently this is a well known problem in auto industry -- windshields are also plastic (or have enough plastic in the sandwich) to suffer from it. E.g. just running wipers on dry windshield generates sizable static charge.

Anyway, I've been a believer since 2005 when I was first exposed to FLARM. I was immensely upset that FLARM made no progress in the US over all these years and waited anxiously for this to change. Finally the time seems upon us. So I am perfectly willing to risk it with the unknown components (PCAS + ADS-B In) even if it gets me just the basic FLARM at ~35% premium over the European price. Everything else is icing on the cake. If it gets me a reliable PCAS, I am already ahead financially (since the basic Euro FLARM + Zaon MRX would cost more) and technically (because of MRX reliability issues). Finally, ADS-B In in it is pure bonus. What's not to like about it?

Upd: Did I mention it's also a flight recorder (approved up to Diamonds)?