UK mechanical engineering company Mellor Electrics director Stephen Halliwell has purchased the 10,000th PowerFlarm system for his Hughes MD 500 from LX Avionics at Turweston Aerodrome. PowerFlarm is a traffic awareness and collision avoidance system for powered airplane and helicopter pilots that its manufacturer FLARM Technology says has improved detection range, antenna diversity, better interference protection, an ADS-B/transponder receiver and intuitive obstacle warnings.

Halliwell's interest in the system was piqued after he was flying his helicopter in a mountainous area and came within 100 ft of colliding head on with another aircraft. With the PowerFlarm system installed, he should now be sufficiently forewarned to be able to avoid any such situations.

Since its invention in 2004, nearly 40,000 Flarm systems have been installed in all types of manned airplanes and rotorcraft.