I just read a conference report from Europe that references a February 12,
1999 midair between an Airbus A320 and a glider, apparently in France.

Anyone have any details?? (Working on safety seminar on mixed use airports
and traffic avoidance.)

Note: If you "reply private", please be awarae of my challenge-response
spam software . . .it'll ask "unknown senders" to verify their existence . .
..

Thanks in advance.

Jim Kellett, Resident Curmudgeon
Chief Flight Instructor, Skyline Soaring Club
Captain and Glider Program Advisor, Civil Air Patrol
Chairman, Classic Division, Vintage Sailplane Association
Webmaster, Open Cirrus Website
"If Flying Were the Language of Man, Soaring Would be its Poetry"

The Air France Airbus had flown a shortcut into final for Montpellier
because of Mistral and was running VFR. At about 2500m MSL they saw a Grob
Twin and started to roll (don't remember anymore to the right or to the
left) and touched the Grob's elevator with the leading edge of the Airbus
wing, taking off about 1/3 of the elevator.

Both aircrafts landed safely, one flight attendant showed some bruises. The
Grob was actually not infringing any airspace limitations.

--
Bert Willing

ASW20 "TW"


"Jim Kellett" > a écrit dans le message de
t...
> I just read a conference report from Europe that references a February 12,
> 1999 midair between an Airbus A320 and a glider, apparently in France.
>
> Anyone have any details?? (Working on safety seminar on mixed use
airports
> and traffic avoidance.)
>
> Note: If you "reply private", please be awarae of my challenge-response
> spam software . . .it'll ask "unknown senders" to verify their existence .
..
> .
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Jim Kellett, Resident Curmudgeon
> Chief Flight Instructor, Skyline Soaring Club
> Captain and Glider Program Advisor, Civil Air Patrol
> Chairman, Classic Division, Vintage Sailplane Association
> Webmaster, Open Cirrus Website
> "If Flying Were the Language of Man, Soaring Would be its Poetry"
>
>
>

Bert Willing wrote:
>
> The Air France Airbus had flown a shortcut into final for Montpellier
> because of Mistral and was running VFR. At about 2500m MSL they saw a Grob
> Twin and started to roll (don't remember anymore to the right or to the
> left) and touched the Grob's elevator with the leading edge of the Airbus
> wing, taking off about 1/3 of the elevator.
>
> Both aircrafts landed safely, one flight attendant showed some bruises. The
> Grob was actually not infringing any airspace limitations.
>

May I add that it was a deliberate choice of the crew in the Airbus to
do the descent through uncontrolled airspace where they were informed that
giders were flying. The reaction of the authorities after this midair was
to change this uncontrolled airspace into clasd D airspace.

> Bert Willing wrote:

> > The Grob was actually not infringing any airspace limitations.
> >
>
> May I add that it was a deliberate choice of the crew in the Airbus to
> do the descent through uncontrolled airspace where they were informed that
> giders were flying. The reaction of the authorities after this midair was
> to change this uncontrolled airspace into clasd D airspace.
================================================== =================

The incident happened at Pic St. Loup, a glider site close to
the nice town of St. Martin de Londre, some 30k north of Montpellier.

When flying the wave in winter you could see the Airliners passing
nearby following the VOR track into Montpellier. All glider pilots
there are checked out and advised on the traffic situation. But within
the years the "free" airspace was cut down a lot in vertical and lateral
extension.

Anyway, it's a nice place and if you are in the region you should go
there and say Bonjour. A glider flight over the "Pic" is nice and an
aerotow through the rotor towards "Rocque Blanc" is exiting. In the clear
winter air during a 360 you can see the Mediterranean Sea, the Alps,
the Pyrenees and the beautiful landscape of l'Herault departement.

Cheers
Michael

> When flying the wave in winter you could see the Airliners passing
> nearby following the VOR track into Montpellier. All glider pilots
> there are checked out and advised on the traffic situation. But within
> the years the "free" airspace was cut down a lot in vertical and lateral
> extension.
>
> Anyway, it's a nice place and if you are in the region you should go
> there and say Bonjour. A glider flight over the "Pic" is nice and an
> aerotow through the rotor towards "Rocque Blanc" is exiting. In the clear
> winter air during a 360 you can see the Mediterranean Sea, the Alps,
> the Pyrenees and the beautiful landscape of l'Herault departement.
>
> Cheers
> Michael

Do you have a link to web site(s) with club and visiting pilot info? I
understand that getting the necessary pilot paperwork can be time
consuming (a day when they are open). Is this true? Can it be done by
(e)mail? I am asking from the perspective of U.S. pilots.

Tom

Tom Seim wrote:
>
> > When flying the wave in winter you could see the Airliners passing
> > nearby following the VOR track into Montpellier. All glider pilots
> > there are checked out and advised on the traffic situation. But within
> > the years the "free" airspace was cut down a lot in vertical and lateral
> > extension.
> >
> > Anyway, it's a nice place and if you are in the region you should go
> > there and say Bonjour. A glider flight over the "Pic" is nice and an
> > aerotow through the rotor towards "Rocque Blanc" is exiting. In the clear
> > winter air during a 360 you can see the Mediterranean Sea, the Alps,
> > the Pyrenees and the beautiful landscape of l'Herault departement.
> >
> > Cheers
> > Michael
>
> Do you have a link to web site(s) with club and visiting pilot info? I
> understand that getting the necessary pilot paperwork can be time
> consuming (a day when they are open). Is this true? Can it be done by
> (e)mail? I am asking from the perspective of U.S. pilots.
>
> Tom

Web site of the local soaring club (Centre Vol a Voile du Pic Saint Loup):

http://cvvm.free.fr/