What about encouraging pilots doing assembly to wear brightly colored
ear muffs or ear plugs to both discourage interactions and remove
distractions?

On May 22, 11:50 am, Rick Culbertson wrote:
Dan,

Yikes! thank you for sharing your scary lesson with your soaring
friends, and we're all very glad you're still around to tell it!

At many soaring clubs, mine included the set up area is a busy and
fairly social hot spot not to mention a magnet for visitors; obviously
a potential assembly check list distraction. Balancing life safety
assembly issues with a clubs PR need be engaging vs. aloof with
visitors and friends alike is a delicate dance. I've thought of
perhaps placing/hanging a polite but obvious laminated sign perhaps in
Red on my open trailer or on the canopy or between the canopy and
glare shield during assembly that simply states something like:

"CRITICAL AIRCRAFT ASSEMBLY IN PROGRESS
Please do not disturb the pilot until this sign is removed.
Thank you, Name and glider ID"

That simple addition to the assembly process just may save a life
someday, maybe mine!

Rick - 21