INSTALLATION MANUAL FLARM COLLISION WARNING UNIT
Contents
1. flm INSTALLATION MANUAL FLARM COLLISION WARNING UNIT Status Software Version 3 00 February 13 2006 2003 2006 FLARM Technology GmbH Zurich Switzerland www flarm com info flarm com INSTALLATION MANUAL FLARM COLLISION WARNING UNIT 1 Welcome to the FLARM user community Thank you for purchasing FLARM a modern low cost collision warning unit for sailplanes and light aircraft The main task for FLARM is to support the pilot while he scans the airspace ahead with his own eyes FLARM is simple to use and does not distract the pilot from the main business in hand Sport flying is an activity that is associated with considerable risks for crew passengers third parties and other objects In order to make full and safe use of FLARM it is absolutely essential to be fully aware of the risks operating conditions restrictions and limitations associated with the use of FLARM This includes familiarity with and observance of the Operating Manual and the Installation Manual Additional configuration information can be found in the Data Port Specifications document We always welcome suggestions for the improvement of FLARM The latest version of this handbook and other related documents can be found at the Website www flarm com This Website also has answers to Frequently Asked Questions This Website also carries announcements when new software versions or functions are available If you enter your name on the mailing2. E Page 3 of 7 February 13 2006 INSTALLATION MANUAL FLARM COLLISION WARNING UNIT 5 Connectors CONSULT OPERATING The red rear face has an MCX socket for an active GPS antenna an RJ45 power data socket and an RJ12 extension socket Power Data Extension 6 Power Data The eight pin RJ45 power data socket accepts an eight pin connector if necessary a six pin connector which is locked in place The pin connections are generally in line with those set out in IGC GNSS FR Specifications so that the same cables may be used both in the air and on the ground as used for modern IGC compatible flight data recorders The key to the connections is defined by the sequence from left to right not the numbering 1 8 to 26 VDC recommended 12 VDC liked with Pin 2 inside the unit 2 8 to 26 VDC recommended 12 VDC linked with Pin 1 inside the unit 3 FLARM supplies 3 VDC 4 GND with Pin 7 and 8 linked to the unit 5 Tx FLARM transmits data PC side to SUB D9 Pin 2 6 Rx FLARM receives data PC side to SUB D9 Pin 3 7 GND negative linked with Pin 8 inside the unit PC side to SUB D9 Pin 5 8 GND negative linked with Pin 7 inside the unit During flight operations at least Pins 2 and 7 must be connected An 8 pole or if necessary 6 pole ribbon cable with an RJ45 push fit connector or an 8 pole twisted pair patch cable with RJ45 adapter are equally suitable A suitable patch cable open at
3. G 174U cable MCX connector 3 3V dimensions depending upon the antenna used usually rectangular 45x45 to 50x50 mm oval or circular of approx 12 mm thickness SRD F Band 868 0 to 868 6 MHz Europe other frequencies depending upon configuration less than 1 Duty Cycle Peak Pulse Power10 mW ERP internal 2 4 antenna screw fitted to conventional SMA connector Range approx 2 km possibly up to 5 km depending upon antenna and installation Operation 10 to 60 storage 20 to 70 no certification in accordance with DO 160E Sections 4 and 5 not provided suitable third party units are available Use in conditions of strong vibration or turbulence should be avoided or subsequently checked prior to continued operation no certification in accordance with DO 160E Section 8 Switzerland Harmonized System Customs Code 852610 CE DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY FLARM Technology GmbH Sonneggstrasse 64 CH 8006 Z rich declares that in typical configuration the FLARM Anti Collision Warning Unit Hardware Versions 1 to 3 meets the requirements of the CE Mark The radio conforms with the requirements of EN 300 220 3 2000 Power Class 9 The EMC conforms with EN 301 489 3 2002 08 for a Class 3 SRD Device equipment type I FLARM is a Class 1 item of radio equipment as defined by R amp TTE Directive The necessary tests and certification were undertaken by Ascom Systec AG Hombrechtikon Switzerland These documents may be in
4. able cars If FLARM determines the risk of dangerous proximity to one or more aircraft or obstacles the unit gives the pilot warning of the greatest danger at that moment The warning is given by a whistle sound beep and bright light emitting diodes LED The display also gives indication of the threat level plus the horizontal and vertical bearing to the threat The operating range is very dependent upon the antenna installation in the aircraft The normal range is about 2 km but up to 5 km may be achieved in individual cases The GPS and collision coordinates of the other aircraft can also be made available for use in other systems e g external display speech synthesizer PDA via a serial data output There are a number of manufacturers for such equipment In addition FLARM operates as an IGC compatible flight data recorder if this software option has been configured 1 Requires Hardware Version 2 or higher However the vertical bearing on the serial data output is also available to third party equipment on Hardware Version 1 Version 3 00E Page 2 of 7 February 13 2006 INSTALLATION MANUAL FLARM COLLISION WARNING UNIT A 3 General Advice on Installation Installation and operation must be on the basis of non interference with and no hazard to the existing suite of other certified equipment necessary for safe flying operation or installed to comply with official requirements Installation and operation must comply w
5. eighbouring wires Connector with pin numbers Open ended patch cable usually have the same colour though one of the tab down pair has a colour alternating with white In normal configuration Pin 5 transmits the most important NMEA 0183 Version 2 0 compatible GPGGA and GPRMC codes at a configurable data rate see document Data Port Specifications from Hardware version Chapter 2 7 2 2 7 2 www fai org gliding gnss tech_spec_gnss pdf 3 FLARM uses pin numbering in line with IGC specifications The numbering is in reverse order 4 When using FLARM Hardware Version 1 a Jumper links Pins 12 and 14 on the PCB Units delivered ex works have this jumper already installed In the case of the cables supplied since March 2005 bearing the legend BLACK BOX on cable and connector the connections are usually as follows GND orange orange white 12V brown white brown It is necessary to check the polarity prior to connection When supplying two or more units only one single cable will be supplied to be cut in half Version 3 00E Page 4 of 7 February 13 2006 INSTALLATION MANUAL FLARM COLLISION WARNING UNIT 2 also Garmin proprietary PGRMZ codes with barometric altitude information Further codes are provided for third party applications e g external displays These are described in a separate document Data Port Specifications This document also describes how FLARM software may be configured A PC application exists for th
6. er face The housing can be repeatedly fitted and removed using the DualLock supplied with the unit The unit comes supplied with two self adhesive 12 5x25 mm fixtures Care should be taken to ensure that the bonding strength is very strong on both halves and difficult to detach The housing lower face also has two Phillips screws holding the two halves of the housing together These screws must not be over tightened By opening the housing all quarantees relating to the equipment become null and void The housing upper face is not sealed and care should be taken not to allow ingress of solid particles or liquids Should the unit become wet it must be thoroughly dried prior to use Condensation may occur if the unit is subjected to sudden massive cooling The housing should only be cleaned with a slightly moist non abrasive cloth without any cleaning agents The housing can be damaged by scratches and abrasion The plastic housing is black to minimise glare and has been tested at temperatures from 10 C to 60 C and should be protected from excessive direct or indirect solar heating Even if not subject to mechanical stress the housing may be deformed at temperatures upwards of 84 C and can also be deformed at lower temperatures in the presence of mechanical stress The unit should not be exposed to strong locally focused solar radiation Care should be taken when the cockpit canopy is open lens effect fire hazard Version 3 00
7. ing all the anti collision LEDs twice FLARM should then be disconnected from the power supply and then connected to the display in the case of FLARM Hardware Version 2 this must be to the extension port The display is updated the next time the unit is connected to the power supply For the next approx 50 seconds the display alternately flashes the left and right LEDs After the update has been completed both top external display LEDs illuminate if not the entire procedure must be repeated FLARM must then be disconnected from the power supply This procedure must be completed once for each display As es The external GPS antenna supplied with the unit must be connected FLARM will not operate without an adequate GPS signal The cable length of the 50Q RG 174U cable with MCX connector is about 2 5 m cables of other length are not available from FLARM Technology A specialist must undertake any shortening of the cable which must not be cut to less than 0 5 m Antenna splitters must not be used The antenna should be horizontal in straight flight and have a generally unobstructed view of the sky including during turns The antenna should not have any electrically conducting surfaces e g metal carbon fibre above or immediately alongside Ideally the antenna will be located on top of the instrument panel Electrically conducting sheet metal under the antenna may enhance its performance The antenna base contains magnets but nevertheless req
8. is After switching on and the self test routine the unit must first capture satellite signals to establish position Even if the antenna has a clear view of the sky this process can take a few minutes For this reason a glider tug pilot should leave FLARM switched on during brief waiting periods between flights During night flights FLARM must be switched off Only the power data socket to the unit may be used for updating FLARM software or obstacle data from the PC During this process FLARM must be disconnected from other equipment 7 Extension Six or 4 pole connectors may be inserted in the 6 pole RJ12 socket The connections to the pins are the same as for Pins 2 and 7 described above This socket is intended for use by third party applications e g for an external display via an uncrossed cable and is regulated by a constant 4 8 kBaud This socket must neither be used for power supply nor for PC communication update download configuration This socket is not provided in Hardware Version 1 the power data socket with and 8 or if necessary 6 pole Y intermediate connector should be used for external applications In this case all third party applications have access to only one single data rate but which may be configured Details can be found in the document Data Port Specifications When updating the external display it is necessary to press the update button on FLARM four times in quick succession FLARM responds by light
9. ith official regulations and requirements When FLARM is permanently installed in an aircraft in Switzerland the installation must comply with the Installation Policy published by the Swiss Civil Aviation Authority FOCA In Germany an installation as portable device is possible in gliders and motor gliders if an installation in powered aircraft is considered European Commission Regulation EC No 1702 2003 must be respected FLARM must be secured in such a position that the pilot has the display LEDs in direct view and can hear the acoustic warning tone and operate the control buttons FLARM must not obstruct the piloting operation and in particular it must not hinder his field of view These requirements must be maintained at all times during conditions of strong turbulence and acceleration FLARM is not suited for use in conjunction with night vision systems night flying no dimmers or in pressurised cabins Ideally FLARM will be installed under the instrument panel on the central console or on the cockpit sidewall The rear face of FLARM must face in the direction of flight If FLARM is also equipped with an external display and operating unit then it may be installed elsewhere and another orientation Usually such an installation requires an external radio antenna It is usually best to install FLARM in such a position that the power data socket is easily reached from a PC with an extension cable This simplifies downloading the la
10. list you will automatically receive notification of changes as and when they happen www flarm com mailman listinfo user list_flarm com Software Versions 3 x will only remain operational until the end of February 2008 After this date you must update the device in order to use it in the air On publication the update will have no functional changes and can be downloaded free of charge Users will be able to load the software with the aid of a suitable power supply data cable not supplied This operation requires the user to have the unit Serial Number to hand Software validity has to be time limited to ensure that all FLARM units are mutually compatible and updates include the latest obstacle data 2 How it works FLARM receives position and movement information from an internal 16 channel GPS receiver with an external antenna A pressure sensor further enhances the accuracy of position measurements The predicted flight path of a first aircraft in which FLARM is installed is calculated by FLARM and the information transmitted by radio as a low power digital burst signal at one second intervals Provided they are within receiving range these signals are received by further aircraft also equipped with FLARM The incoming signal is compared with the flight path calculated and predicted for the second aircraft At the same time FLARM compares the predicted flight path with known obstacle data including electric power lines radio masts and c
11. may arise from use of FLARM Version 3 00E Page 6 of 7 February 13 2006 INSTALLATION MANUAL FLARM COLLISION WARNING UNIT 12 Technical Data The following data are provided without guarantee and may be altered at any time without notice Height Width Length Weight Power supply Power drain Serial Data GPS Radio Temperature Intercom Vibration Country of Origin 25 mm housing without internal radio antenna 100 mm overall height with internal radio antenna 75 mm 111 mm housing without cable connectors 119 mm overall length with push buttons without cable connectors 125 g with internal radio antenna without cable without GPS antenna external power supply 8 0 to 26 0 peak voltage up to 28 0 V DC via RJ45 recommended value 12 V DC direct galvanic link to aircraft battery via an essential 500 mA circuit breaker this must be separate from other essential aircraft power systems FLARM has reverse polarity protection typically approx 55 mA at 12 V DC approx 37 mA at 24 V DC Normal operation without warnings or external display a collision warning may double these values bi directional RS232 compatible with NMEA 0183 Version 2 0 standard message format GPRMC GPGGA data rate 4 8 to 57 6 kBaud additional NMEA proprietary sentences PFLA and PGRMZ described in a separate document 16 Channel WAAS EGNOS compatible GPS engine external 50 2 active antenna with 2 5m R
12. nd remains undetected by ACAS TCAS TPAS or Air Traffic Control systems Likewise FLARM does not communicate with TIS B FIS B or ADS B At present FLARM is not certified by the Civil Aviation Authorities and has not been tested in accordance with the normal aviation requirements e g DO 160E therefore no EASA Formi can be handed out FLARM software development is commensurate with Level E of DO 178B in other words a failure of the unit will have no effect upon aircraft operation and does not increase crew workload The FLARM obstacle data bank is not certified Air band radio frequency allocation and licensing conditions may vary from country to country The aircraft commander is solely responsible for ensuring that FLARM is operated in conformity with the respective licensing conditions No licence is required to operate FLARM in Switzerland Until further notice FLARM may not be used in the USA or Canada without written authority of FLARM Technology or in an aircraft that is registered and or insured in the USA or Canada Likewise operation of FLARM is forbidden in aircraft in which one or more of the occupants resides in or is a citizen of the USA or Canada Likewise use of FLARM is forbidden if the aircraft concerned takes off from makes an intermediate or final landing in the USA or Canada FLARM Technology its associates development team suppliers manufacturers and data suppliers accept no responsibility for any damage or claims that
13. ntennas with 1 0m and 2 5m feed cables for external installation and antenna extension cables 560Q RG 174U on conventional SMA No antennae or cables may be used other than those listed above An external antenna must be adequately earthed to the airframe Installation may only be in a Zone 2A or 3 as described in DO 160E Section 23 10 Sound Signal The housing upper face has a number of holes to improve the transmission of sound from the internal emitter to the cockpit These holes must remain unobstructed There is no intercom connector Third party manufacturers have suitable intercom equipment that is compatible with FLARM A 11 _ Limitations 11 Limitations FLARM is designed and built as a non essential situation awareness only unit to support the pilot and cannot always provide reliable warnings In particular FLARM does not give any guidance on avoiding action Under no circumstances should a pilot or crewmember adopt different tactics or deviate from the normal principles of safe airmanship The use of FLARM is solely at the discretion of the commander and his crew Operation must be preceded by thorough familiarisation by the commander or his delegated crewmember with the Operating Manual FLARM can only warn the pilot of the presence of other aircraft that are also fitted with FLARM or compatible equipment or warn of obstacles that are stored in the internal data bank FLARM does not communicate with Mode A C S transponders a
14. one end is supplied with FLARM unit and must be configured to the aircraft connector in the aircraft When using an 8 pole cable Pins 1 2 must be joined Likewise Pins 7 8 If the remaining wires are not used they must be individually insulated and must not be soldered or twisted together not even in pairs There must be a direct electrical connection between FLARM and the aircraft battery This connection must be via a 500 mA fuse Essential electrically operated flight instruments must not draw their power through FLARM fuse It must be possible for the pilot to interrupt the power supply to FLARM during flight by means of a switch or circuit breaker without affecting other essential aircraft systems This might be necessary if the pilot suspects that FLARM may be interfering with another on board system the suspected presence of smoke the smell of smoke or flying in a country where the use of FLARM is not permitted In spite of reverse polarity protection it is important_to check for correct polarity during 412V installation in particular the power supply and gt data _wires must not be interchanged The j i aie V transparent connector allows for a visual check of re A i the cable colour codes ensuring that the open t ce in end of the cable is correctly configured When PN a using patch cables neighbouring wires on Pins en GND Pin 1 2 3 4 5 6 and 7 8 are usually but not always twisted together N
15. spected at the premises of FLARM Technology by arrangement through info flarm com Z rich March 2005 Version 3 00E Page 7 of 7 February 13 2006
16. test obstacle data and software and configuring the unit When updating software the user must know the unique FLARM unit serial number If possible FLARM should be so installed that the pilot does not inadvertently touch the push button during cockpit ingress and egress Cables must not be folded or under tension The installation must allow adequate space for cable connectors and the internal antenna FLARM the radio antenna if the internal antenna is not used and the GPS antenna should each be installed at least 25 cm away from the magnetic compass more if possible After installation an appropriate entry should be made in the aircraft technical logs and a check made that the installation is in no way detrimental to the performance of mechanical electrical or magnetic e g compass performance of other aircraft systems e g radio The unit serial number and software version should be recorded in the aircraft technical log In the case of a permanent installation the Means of Compliance should be confirmed in the aircraft technical log and an AFM Supplement carried in the aircraft 4 Housing The lower face of the housing has two threads so that FLARM can easily be secured by two M5 screws no more than 12 mm long This thread is in widespread use in gliding FLARM should be installed on a flat surface so that the housing is not subject to any mechanical stress Alternatively the unit may be secured by the housing upp
17. uires additional attachments The antenna must under no circumstances interfere with correct compass operation If the antenna interferes with the compass the magnets in the antenna base must be removed with a screwdriver and the metallic foil put back If the aircraft is fitted with two or more GPS antennae they should be separated if possible by at least 25 cm the same holds good for FLARM radio antennae Version 3 00E Page 5 of 7 February 13 2006 INSTALLATION MANUAL FLARM COLLISION WARNING UNIT A 9 Radio Antenna The middle of the housing upper face has an aperture onto which is screwed an 86 mm long internal A 4 radio antenna onto a conventional SMA connector The antenna must be fitted and removed with care This antenna is required for operation of FLARM and the correct installation has a considerable effect upon range for transmitter receiver range so the installation must be carefully considered The antenna must be vertical allowing generally unobstructed radiation to the front and sides It is theoretically possible to use an inverted installation but only when making exclusive use of an external display Horizontal or inclined installation is not acceptable In particular there should be no electrically conducting surfaces metal carbon fibre above or immediately alongside the antenna The antenna must not be under stress or bent e g by the cockpit canopy FLARM Technology can supply alternative external dipole a
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