Most of the gliders flying from Campill now carry Flarm
For the uninitiated a glider anticolllison/awareness system powered by GPS
In addition, as technology improves monitoring stations are being set up world wide where glider activity can be followed see live.glidernet.org or simply search the internet for Spot the glider. At the minute there are currently about 40 gliders flying in the UK and several hundreds across Europe. There is a receiving station at Camphill.
In addition Pilot Aware PAW is a similar system being set up for general aviation.GA
Plans are being implemented to link the two systems together. At present it will only allow glider positions to be seen by PAW fitted aircraft but where gaggles are forming this will be a big advantage for GA aircraft.
Hang and Paraglider can also carry flarm and this would automatically link into the system, so when ridge soaring or when flying from sites like Eyam with mass thermal launches you would be seen by GA.
The down side is that sat at work watching Spot the glider you get very cheesed off because you can follow gliders whilst you work.
The future? To provide better coverage more receiving stations are required. I also understand that work is in progress to make the system work both ways.
As an original sceptic re Flarm flying with it for 4 years I am now convinced it is a major step forward in glider visibility.
I know a few do but I have no idea how many hang and paragliders fly with Flarm? Please get involved.
It is your lookout after all.
Dave Martin
D and L GC
Hi Dave
I'm coming back to HG having been a powered pilot for years in various guises, and most recently as a fixed and flex wing ML pilot. I've been using SkyDemon for several years with absolute delight at what it can do for me, although I'm not sure how useful that will be on a hangie. I have also invested in a PilotAware recently, and am wondering how best to employ that, as I agree with you - having visibility of nearby potential threats helps me keep good situational awareness, and I'm convinced that in not too much time, these types of conspicuity devices will be the mainstream, as the benefits are huge while the costs are tumbling. With the gliders becoming visible too, it's only getting better for everyone.
This is a powerful tool.
I have just watched an ASK21 glider reg. SXQ take an aerotow from Camden Airfield Sydney the tug CPU is back at the airfield and has turned the power off. The glider is in 1.7m of lift and is soaring over the town of Grasmere. Oh they are 9200miles away and I am off to bed........!
Check out Phil Colbert's Airwhere project http://airwhere.co.uk/ . A few of us have made devices mainly based on kobos running XCSoar or LK8000. Phil has also just developed integration with FLARM using a different RF board. There are also a couple of facebook build/development groups. If you have a soldering iron then units are easy to build. Integrated kobo unit for around £80 to build. If you have an existing kobo you can make and plug in an Airwhere unit for £20-£30. All good fun, especially on rainy days.