When and how FLARM is useful for paragliding?
Posted by Martin Havel on
FLARM is an electronic system that is used to alert pilots to a potential collisions between aircraft. It is not an official implementation of ADS-B. FLARM is optimized for the specific needs of light aircraft, not for long-range communication or the ATC interaction. The word FLARM is a combination of letter used in word "flight" and "alarm".
There are three parts to how useful is FLARM for paragliding.
PART ONE is collision avoidance between aircraft, you see them on your screen and they see you on their screen.
PART TWO is the Flying with buddies where you can add your buddies and monitor them on your screen so it's easier to stick with your group.
PART THREE is obstacle avoidance, where FLARM will warn you about obstacles in your flying path. To make this work you have to upload that database on to your FLARM capable instrument. We don't have this database for Australia at this stage. FLARM obstacle database is available for most of Europe. Nick Neynens has used it during x-alps 2019, Nick got a warning about the power line that he has said he wouldn't spot otherwise.
Here is the link tot he FLARM obstacle database. https://flarm.com/products/product-extensions/obstacle-databases/
The number of instruments that are equipped with FLARM is slowly and steadily growing. FLARM will likely be standard for advanced flying instruments in the future Some instrument have FLARM build in and some manufacturers are working on FLARM modules that can be connected via Bluetooth. If you are flying regularly in Europe I will consider it. If we had an obstacle database for Australia it will be a cool gadget. to have. I fly with an instrument that has FLARM is a combination of letter used in word "FLight" and "AlaRM".
List of Paragliding Instruments equipped with FLARM