GP941E 11/01
02.11.01
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Sealing of data ports and plugs: no present requirement, but no attempt must be made to pass unauthorised
data into the FR.
Check of Installation in the Glider. There must be incontrovertible evidence that the particular FR was present in
the glider for the flight concerned. This can be achieved either by observation at takeoff or landing or by sealing
the FR to the glider at any time or date before takeoff and checking the seal after landing.
Observation of Installation before Takeoff or at Landing. The recorder may be sealed to the glider in accordan-
ce with 3.2. Otherwise, either a pre-flight check of the installation must be made and the glider must be under
continuous observation by an OO until it takes off on the claimed flight, or an OO must witness the landing and
have the glider under continuous observation until the FR installation is checked. This is to ensure that the
installation is in accordance with the rules, and that another FR has not been substituted before the data is
transferred to a PC after flight.
Sealing to the Glider before Flight. . If direct observation under para 3.1 cannot be achieved, the FR must be
sealed to the glider by an OO at any time or date before flight so that it cannot be removed without breaking the
seal. The sealing method must be acceptable to the NAC and IGC. Paper seals must be marked in a manner
such that there is incontrovertible proof after the flight that seals have not been tampered with, such as by mar-
king with the glider registration, the date, time and OO's name and signature. It should be possible for the OO
to recognise the seal markings afterwards. The use of adhesive plastic tape is not satisfactory for IGC-approved
sealing because it can be peeled off and re-fitted. Gummed paper tape is recommended, as used for sealing
drum-type barographs. The OO must seal the FR unit to glider parts that are part of the minimum standard for
flight. It is accepted that such parts can be removed for purposes such as servicing; such parts include the
canopy frame, instrument panel, and centre-section bulkhead fittings. If the FR is sealed to such removable
part, if such a part is transferred between gliders, any FR seal for the previous glider must be removed.
Security Seals, Physical and Electronic.
Physical Security. A silver-coloured tamper-evident seal with the manufacturer's name, is fitted over one of the
case securing screws next to the maker's label. In addition, an internal security mechanism is included that
activates if the case of the FR is opened. If the FR case has been opened, breaching physical security, subse-
quent IGC files will fail the VALI check (see para B3).
Electronic Security. If the internal security mechanism has been activated (such as by opening the case), any
data in the memory will be lost, settings will revert to defaults, and the electronic security algorithms in the FR
will be trashed. Any flight data files subsequently produced will fail the VALI test for electronic security. This
test will also fail if the *.ZAN or *.IGC file has been altered in any way after being transferred from the FR.
FR found to be unsealed. If either physical or electronic security is found to have failed, the FR must be retur-
ned to the manufacturer or his appointed agent for investigation and resealing. A statement should be included
on how the unit became unsealed.
Checks before re-sealing. Whenever any unit is resealed, the manufacturer or agent must carry out positive
checks on the internal programs and wiring, and ensure that they work normally. If any evidence is found of
tampering or unauthorised modification, a report must be made by the manufacturer or agent to the Chairman
of GFAC and to the NAC of the owner. The IGC approval of that individual unit will be withdrawn until the unit is
re-set and returned to the IGC-approved standard.
Analysis of Flight Data. Analysis for flights to be validated to IGC criteria should be through the use of a pro-
gram which complies with IGC rules and procedures and is approved for this purpose by the relevant NAC. For
a list of programs which are capable of reading and displaying flight data in the *.IGC file format, see the
fai.org/gliding/gnss web site under the link to SOFTWARE (the full web reference is at the beginning of this
document). Before a Flight Performance is officially validated, the authority responsible for validation must
check that the data in the *.IGC file has originated from the Recorder concerned, and has not been altered after
it was download from the Recorder to a PC. This is simply done by checking the IGC data file with an authori-
sed copy of the VALI-ZAN.EXE short program. The VALI program is on a single file and must have originated
from the current FAI/IGC web site for software at the beginning of this document. See Annex B for how to use
the VALI program file with any IGC flight data file.
Manufacturer's Changes. Notification of any intended change to hardware, firmware or software must be made
by the manufacturer to the Chairman of GFAC so that a decision can be made on any further testing which may
be required. This includes changes of any sort, small or large. If in doubt, notify the change so that the respon-
sibility for any possible action passes from the manufacturer to GFAC.
