About IGC Loggers
Is it an IGC Logger ?
We hear this question often - but its just not that simple.
This page summarizes what you need to know about flight recorders (IGC does not recognize the term logger)...
IGC-Approved Flight Recorders
There are three different levels of IGC-approved flight recorders. They are not equivalent !
Here's a quick summary of the important points.
| For all flights (badges, diplomas and records). | Good for everything ! Includes more expensive security hardware, costs more. |
| For all badge and FAI diploma flights. | Not OK for world records. Your national authority may or may not accept flight logs for national records. |
| For badge flights up to and including the three Diamonds badges. | Not OK for FAI merit badges beyond diamond. Your national authority may or may not accept these flight logs for national records. Less expensive. PowerFLARM for USA will be IGC-approved to and including Diamond level. |
Detailed definitions can be found here: http://www.fai.org/gliding/gnss/
What is a non-IGC-approved flight recorder ?
Many products create IGC-format output files, but are not approved by IGC. These products may or may not include security features. While they cannot be used for advanced FAI badges, in many cases these products can be used for competitions, country records, and OLC. Common products that produce IGC-format flight logs, but are not IGC-approved, include the classic flarm without the IGC-approval option, the ILEC SN10 flight computer, and some PDA software products.
What About OLC ?
OLC is a separate organization and not governed by IGC. In addition to flight logs from IGC-approved flight recorders, OLC generally accepts flight logs from devices whose manufacturer includes security and has worked with the OLC team to integrate security checks (these generate the "Blue V" security validation symbol). However, OLC requires IGC-approved flight recorders for OLC-league and FAI-triangle submissions. All flarm products produce flight logs acceptable for OLC (you'll see the "Blue V" validation symbol for non-IGC-approved flarm devices, and the "Green V" for models with IGC approval). For details see http://www2.onlinecontest.org/validate.php.
PowerFlarm will produce log files acceptable to OLC (for all purposes, "Green V" validation).
What About Contests ?
Other than world championships, contest rules (including which flight recorders are acceptable) are set by the national governing body.
For USA contests, all flarm products produce acceptable flight records.
World Championships are governed by Code Sportif Anex B http://www.fai.org/gliding/system/files/sc3b.pdf. From paragraph 1.1.3.3.6 Competitions: ...For competition flights, the types of FRs that may be accepted are (a) at the discretion of the competition organisers and (b) subject to any particular rules and procedures that may apply to the organisers...
Thus, the organizers of a World Championship may allow Flarm flight traces. While this decision has not been made officially, we expect that the organizers of the upcoming Uvalde world championships will accept traces from all flarm products.
Bottom line
The USA PowerFLARM will include a flight recorder approved by IGC through diamond badges. Its logs can be used for badges, for OLC, for US contests, for US world team selection, and very likely for world contests. Like other loggers, it will have output connectors that can drive your PDA, SN10 or other glide computers, which will then give traffic displays. It will not have the electronic security seal and IGC approval level needed for world records.
