November 17th, 2010

With great disappointment I read the Rules Committee document titled "Flarm in US Contest Rules 2011".

 

You can find this document here http://www.ssa.org/files/member/2011FlarmUSA.pdf

 

In it, I find that the Rules Committee has totally ignored the direction it received from a significant majority of 2010 contest pilots to implement a specific 2011 FLARM MIRA rule.

 

Further, the Rules Committee has failed to provide any specific provisions for the unfettered allowance of MIRA contests next year at the Contest Managers discretion.

 

In fact, the Rules Committee has taken a solid stand against any form of mandatory FLARM usage in 2011 contests until a voluntary rental system would fail.

 

In light of the above, I believe that the Rules Committee should be required to withstand a vote of non-confidence but even I will NOT hold my breath for that vote to take place.

 

In my opinion, a voluntary rental system will NOT result in having a FLARM in every contest glider as soon as possible.

 

I am not willing to fly in a contest where people are allowed to fly without FLARMs if there are inexpensive rentals available.  Not even if just a few people decide to fly without FLARMs.  I believe that it is indefensible NOT to make FLARMs mandatory in this case.

 

I can only hope that 'peer pressure' and 'spite to prove me wrong' will prove to be enough of a force to ensure that a voluntary rental system never results in having a contest pilot fly without a FLARM when rentals are available.

 

After weighing the implications of all of the above, I cannot in good conscience ask that over $100,000 be spent by FLARM Fund supporters if MIRA contests have to be ‘allowed’ by waiver only AFTER a voluntary rental scheme would fail. 

 

I will not volunteer to be a part of any attempt to implement a voluntary rental system.  The Rules Committee will have to find another volunteer to do this. 

 

With a heavy heart I have decided to disband the FLARM Fund before a large financial commitment is made by anyone.

 

I truly hope that someone else will step up to the plate and jumpstart FLARM usage at contests in another manner that tries to fill the void between now and when there is a FLARM in every contest cockpit.

 

I will forever believe that a FLARM in every contest cockpit could have begun painlessly next year.