Progress on updating training gliders and new winch operations?

[son_of_flubber]

I poked around for this information on the SSA website but did not find much current information.

In the USA and Canada...

What happened in 2012? What are plans for 2013?

Old trainers retired?

New trainers put in service?

Winch operations retired?

Winch operations put in service?

Clubs folded?

New clubs started?

[Bill D]

On Sunday, February 10, 2013 11:29:06 AM UTC-7, son_of_flubber wrote:
> I poked around for this information on the SSA website but did not find much current information.
>
>
>
> In the USA and Canada...
>
>
>
> What happened in 2012? What are plans for 2013?
>
>
>
> Old trainers retired?
>
>
>
> New trainers put in service?
>
>
>
> Winch operations retired?
>
>
>
> Winch operations put in service?
>
>
>
> Clubs folded?
>
>
>
> New clubs started?

I'll take those as good suggestions for the 2012 survey which hasn't been done yet.

[David Reitter]

On Sunday, February 10, 2013 1:29:06 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:

> In the USA and Canada...
> What happened in 2012? What are plans for 2013?
> Old trainers retired?
> New trainers put in service?

At Pittsburgh Soaring Club, we made a lot of progress towards these goals:
- We upgraded our tow plane to a 250HP Pawnee (from a Super Cub, which is, btw., for sale)
- A single seater that saw limited use was sold to fund part of the intended upgrade to a better trainer
- We upgraded our hangar with floor repairs and lighting

- Our 2-33 was damaged in a landing incident and is out of service pending repair. We have leased a -22 from a friend of the club to facilitate operations.

Lots of changes under the hood. Finances, admin, planning, membership, and so on, but the above is what's new in toys dept.

[T[_2_]]

Our updates this year is to install transponders in club gliders. We've made the purchase, now for the install.
With the expansion of the local Class B, moving our airport under a shelf, previously we were on the edge, plus lowering of Class B just north of us, we feel transponders are prudent. Better seen by ATC, heavier aircraft with TCAS will get returns on us. It will not protect us from the GA "bug smasher" ducking under the edge of Class B to other Satillite airports. We'll still need the Mark-1 eyeball for those.

Next step will be the mandated ADS-B Out for the tow plane.
T

[GM]

On Tuesday, February 12, 2013 8:45:03 PM UTC-5, T wrote:
> Our updates this year is to install transponders in club gliders. We've made the purchase, now for the install. With the expansion of the local Class B, moving our airport under a shelf, previously we were on the edge, plus lowering of Class B just north of us, we feel transponders are prudent. Better seen by ATC, heavier aircraft with TCAS will get returns on us. It will not protect us from the GA "bug smasher" ducking under the edge of Class B to other Satillite airports. We'll still need the Mark-1 eyeball for those. Next step will be the mandated ADS-B Out for the tow plane. T

Pardon my ignorance but I don't know where 'T' flies.... ;-)
Our club - the Carolina Soaring Association in Spartanburg, SC - made the same decision reg. the transponder for our trainer. We are close to the Greenville class C and commuter jets from CLT routinely barrel through overhead at 4,000ft.
As for the rest, our club's winch received an upgraded level-wind mechanism and is increasing in popularity. Since our Pawnee is down for its annual, a number of members took their first flight of the season either with an instructor or safety in the back seat on the winch.
Our membership is slightly up from last year and we organized a ground school to prep for GLD-COMM.
Looking forward to a good season '13.
Uli

[kirk.stant]

If you are not planning on installing a PowerFLARM in your gliders, which would give you warning of those "bug smashers" via PCAS or ADS-B/Mode S alerts, you could just get some Zaon MRX PCAS. Portable and cheap (for anything that goes in an aircraft!), they do a good job of warning of transponder-equipped VFR traffic.

Every little bit helps!

Kirk
66

[Vaughn]

On 2/13/2013 3:23 AM, kirk.stant wrote:
> If you are not planning on installing a PowerFLARM in your gliders, which would give you warning
>of those "bug smashers" via PCAS or ADS-B/Mode S alerts, you could just get some Zaon MRX PCAS.
>Portable and cheap (for anything that goes in an aircraft!), they do a good job of warning of transponder-equipped VFR traffic.
>
> Every little bit helps!
>

Indeed, every little bit helps. BUT! PCAS is no substitute for a
transponder, which makes you visible to the big & fast traffic out there.

[kirk.stant]

On Wednesday, February 13, 2013 2:45:19 PM UTC+1, Vaughn wrote:
>>
> Indeed, every little bit helps. BUT! PCAS is no substitute for a
>
> transponder, which makes you visible to the big & fast traffic out there.

I somewhat disagree. A transponder does absolutely NOTHING to protect you from VFR traffic that isn't talking to ATC. However, a PCAS does give you warning of all transponder-equipped traffic, including airliners and military.

So it depends a lot on where you fly and what kind of traffic you are worried about. Out West, where you are usually in O2 levels (Reno area comes to mind) a transponder makes a lot of sense, since VFR traffic is usually lower. In the midwest, away from Class B or C airspace, it doesn't really help much, while a PCAS is really useful, because there is a lot of VFR traffic at the lower altitudes that you usually fly in.

Best solution is obviously a PowerFLARM and a Mode S transponder.

My preference if a choice has to be made is warning of the presence of other traffic over hoping that they see and respond to your transponder.

Cheers,

Kirk
66