In general, it seems to be instructors in the US are far WORSE than
their Brit counterparts. They don't even have to have flown any X-C
whatsoever.

On Feb 10, 5:58 am, Nick Olson
wrote:
At 23:24 09 February 2007, Dan G wrote:

You'd do damned well to listen to instructors - they
know better than you do.

Hmmn not always the case. 200 hour instructor with
Silver C who never ventures more than gliding distance
from an airfield knows more than pilot who flies several
thousand hours cross country and competition - think
not. I have flown with some instructors who quite
frankly scare the sh++ out of me.

Gentlemen it is quite easy -life is a game of risk
-sometimes the consequence of taking those risks is
death - in todays cuddly wuddly lets not do anything
in case we hurt ourselves society this seems to get
ignored.
Said photographer was taking a risk (as was the finishing
pilot who hit him) - he delibrately placed himself
under the flight path of competition gliders finishing,
to take photographs. He had full previous knowledge
of how competiton pilots fly a finish - to say he does
not bear any responsibility for the accident I frankly
feel is quite idiotic. I have seen many people take
this risk at competions - frankly it's behaviour I
wouldn't do -the risk is too great for me personally.

A combination of risks resulted in a death. Both
people were grown men who understood the risks they
were taking (or should have done). A death resulted
-boo hoo - let's grow up and move on, or shall we eliminate
all the risks of death by grounding the entire gliding
fleet worldwide.