http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...04X00737&key=1
Yes, this was the 2004 fatality.
The 2004 crash is a clear example of #2,
but was not given as a reason or argument supporting
the contest rule change.
At the SRA website, and I quote:
"The experience of Peter Masak's accident at the 2003
15 Meter Nationals was a wake-up call for the competition
community."
So was there a 2003 crash, or is this just a typo?
If it's just a typo, then yes,
#2 is their most prominent justification.
I think it absolutely must be a typo, because
I have searched everywhere for an account of a 2003
crash with Mr. Masak.
This sounds like a knee-jerk reaction to an isolated event.
I was interested to read Peter Masaks account of
a contest pilot who had crashed, and had not brought
a cell phone, and had waited a long time before
activating his ELT (which had apparently not activated).
Towplanes and other pilots searched feverently for the pilot.
Mr. Masak wrote about how the contest organizers were
so upset he hadn't brought a CELL phone that they
grounded him the next day.
A requirement for a cell phone, handheld radio, or ELT
of some kind (handheld or installed) seems like a better
option to me. The Australians permitting a handheld
ELT seems quite civilized. I can even see how
a portable ELT could easily be designed to activate in
an impact. Too bad the restriction is for installed ELTs.
I expect in 2006 there will be fewer entries to competitions
because of this very rule.
It will be interesting to compare the number of entries in the
Sports class competitions compared to previous years without
this requirement.
Maybe a better question is: how many competitors in 2003
had no ELT installed? Why didn't these pilots install
the ELT before it became mandatory? They must have reasons,
right? How many had ELTs? 10%? 90%? It looks
like the SRA has these numbers from the competitions forms.
Pray tell, what are the numbers? Are they 80% in Hobbs
and 20% at the Avenal contest? 90% on the east coast and
10% at places like Marfa? To me this would indicate
contest organizer discretion would make more sense, instead
of a blanket requirement.
In article ,
Tim Mara wrote:
may I suggest you look at :
tim
"Mark James Boyd" wrote in message
news:41f01935$1@darkstar...
So in 2003 Peter Masak crashed in a sailplane in a contest,
was uninjured, and was found quickly because he had an ELT.
But if he didn't have an ELT then a portable radio would have
been easy for him to use and call for help?
And THIS is the justification for requiring ELTs in all
gliders at all contests?
Well, I hope nobody ever crashes and then uses a $10,000
50 pound laser to bounce morse code off the moon and get
rescued. Then I suppose we'd all need tests for morse code
and high-powered lasers before we can fly contests, right?
This sounds fishy to me...
In article ,
T o d d P a t t i s t wrote:
(Mark James Boyd) wrote:
So we are really talking about two other circumstances.
1) The pilot is unconscious, the ELT activated on impact
and continues to work
This is the main reason I bought an ELT, plus it gave me
another option beyond a cell phone.
2) We need the ELT to find the dead pilot quickly. Otherwise
the fellow pilots and family will suffer a long time,
not specifically knowing what happened.
I suspect it's more than just preventing suffering/worry.
Potential searchers and rescuers do face risk in their
activities.
Was Peter Masak's 2003 accident an example of #1?
I was told no.
Initially I heard that he installed one of the new 406 MHz
ELT units, then later heard that was in error. I'm still
not sure what type he had installed (anyone know?). The
newer 406 MHz aircraft ELT units will give a location in a
single satellite pass and ID the owner of the unit. That's
important for both issues above, but right now they cost
$1,000 and $1500 if GPS enabled. I suppose he might have
had a much less expensive non-aircraft ELT/EPIRB installed.
But I think there is a substantial difference
between requiring an ELT because of 1 vs 2.
I agree.
I personally am unaware of any circumstances that
fall into the number 1 category.
I've read of this happening, but not in the glider context.
From the speed that Masak's aircraft was found, it could
have made the difference if he'd been injured. That's why
I'd like to know if he had the newer type of ELT installed
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Mark J. Boyd
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Mark J. Boyd