16/11/2003 | Posted by Peter at 07:47 PM
This GFAC announcement has been prepared with the agreement of
the IGC GNSS Committee and the IGC Bureau.
At the last IGC Plenary meeting earlier in 2003, a new approval level for GNSS flight recorders was agreed. This was for "all IGC badge and distance diploma flights" and was in addition to the existing levels for "all
flights" and "badge flights up to and including Diamonds". The latter is
used for types of recorder units that do not have their own GPS receiver
but rely on a separate GPS unit connected to the recorder by cable.
There are currently 24 models of IGC-approved GNSS recorder, from 10 different manufacturers. GFAC has completed a review of legacy recorders, the IGC-approvals of which go back as far as 1996. The following principles have been agreed for the future:
For world record flight claims, it is not considered suitable to have recorders with one or more of the following characteristics:
1. No security microswitch or equivalent (this operates if the case is opened).
2. Without electronic security giving the strength of systems such as RSA (public/private key systems) as assessed by GFAC and its experts in electronic security.
3. No immediate manufacturer support (out of production and the original manufacturer either no longer exists or is no longer dealing with them).
Negotiations with appropriate manufacturers have been going on for some time, and revised IGC-approval documents have been circulated to them. Types of recorders affected will have IGC-approvals for the new "all IGC badge flights and distance diploma" level.
Types of recorders affected with the main reason:
Cambridge 10, 20 and 25 (not RSA or equivalent strength).
Filser LX20 first batch (not RSA or equivalent strength, no microswitch).
Peschges VP8 (no microswitch, original manufacturer understood to be no longer in the recorder business).
Print Technik GR1000 (not RSA or equivalent strength, original manufacturer no longer in the recorder business).
Zander GP940. This type of recorder is also under consideration but no decision has been made at this time, if it is to be added to the above list this will be announced as soon as it is made.
Timescale
The above changes to the "all IGC badges and distance diploma" level will take effect on 1 April 2004.
The only pilots affected will be those planning to attempt world record flights from this date, for which other types of IGC-approved flight recorder must be used that are IGC-approved without flight limitations.
Ian Strachan
Chairman IGC GFA Committee
ian@ukiws.demon.co.uk
