Ed Gaddy[_2_]
June 23rd 09, 09:00 PM
At 18:34 23 June 2009, bildan wrote:
>On Jun 23, 11:14=A0am, John Smith wrote:
>> bildan wrote:
>> > Answer the question: =A0WHY A PRIORITY?
>>
>> Because it's automatic and then it's done and you can fully
concentrate
>> on more important things like speed, coordinated flight and where to
>> land. And, surprise, your glider flies better without that chute
>> dangling in the wind, which may make the difference between a
non-event
>> and an event.
>>
>> But I understand that you're fully absorbed by staring at your AOA
>> indicator and therefore don't have any capacity left to pull the
release
>> knob.
>
>
>
>Do it because it's automatic! That's no reason at all.
>
>Do it so you can get it out of the way and get on with the important
>stuff like saving your life! Are you really thinking about what
>you're writing?
>
>If the drag of a parachute/rope is great enough a glider 'flies
>significantly better without it', it will back release because of that
>very drag. In fact, a parachute pulled by its apex has little drag.
>Either way, it's a non-issue.
>
>What we've done, without really thinking about it, is put a relatively
>unimportant action - pulling the release - ahead of a series of very
>urgent steps the pilot must take to avoid a serious accident. This
>has almost certainly made an unfortunate contribution to the overall
>accident record.
>
>The first step in writing ANY EMERGENCY CHECKLIST is to eliminate all
>actions that do not contribute to a safe outcome and then to
>prioritize the remaining steps with the most urgent at the top.
>Pulling the release does not contribute materially to a safe outcome
>and, in any event, is not urgent enough to be anywhere near the top of
>the list.
>
>As for an AOA indicator, you're damn right I'd be looking at it - and
>flying a much safer recovery as a result.
>
When the parachute covers the canopy, the AOA will be all that you have to
look at. This happened to me once on a winch launch. I'll take the extra
5 sec to get rid of the cable.
>On Jun 23, 11:14=A0am, John Smith wrote:
>> bildan wrote:
>> > Answer the question: =A0WHY A PRIORITY?
>>
>> Because it's automatic and then it's done and you can fully
concentrate
>> on more important things like speed, coordinated flight and where to
>> land. And, surprise, your glider flies better without that chute
>> dangling in the wind, which may make the difference between a
non-event
>> and an event.
>>
>> But I understand that you're fully absorbed by staring at your AOA
>> indicator and therefore don't have any capacity left to pull the
release
>> knob.
>
>
>
>Do it because it's automatic! That's no reason at all.
>
>Do it so you can get it out of the way and get on with the important
>stuff like saving your life! Are you really thinking about what
>you're writing?
>
>If the drag of a parachute/rope is great enough a glider 'flies
>significantly better without it', it will back release because of that
>very drag. In fact, a parachute pulled by its apex has little drag.
>Either way, it's a non-issue.
>
>What we've done, without really thinking about it, is put a relatively
>unimportant action - pulling the release - ahead of a series of very
>urgent steps the pilot must take to avoid a serious accident. This
>has almost certainly made an unfortunate contribution to the overall
>accident record.
>
>The first step in writing ANY EMERGENCY CHECKLIST is to eliminate all
>actions that do not contribute to a safe outcome and then to
>prioritize the remaining steps with the most urgent at the top.
>Pulling the release does not contribute materially to a safe outcome
>and, in any event, is not urgent enough to be anywhere near the top of
>the list.
>
>As for an AOA indicator, you're damn right I'd be looking at it - and
>flying a much safer recovery as a result.
>
When the parachute covers the canopy, the AOA will be all that you have to
look at. This happened to me once on a winch launch. I'll take the extra
5 sec to get rid of the cable.