On Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 10:00:01 AM UTC-4, wrote:
"You think you are safe at cloudbase because you have a transponder and or Flarm? Hooked up to a hobby battery with wires and connectors from radio shack."

I agree with one of the earlier posts - it is good that Gregg is in the conversation - the first step convincing anyone of any thing is to understand where how their thought process.

I think some people of Gregg opinion think that if you do something new or that adds, it replaces what was the norm - the "you can not do 2 things at the same time" i.e. Flarm replaces See and Avoid. It is a pretty common argument from most late adapters and no need for drama or ridicule. More a human condition thing.

Again I go back to - your opinion may be that you are safe at cloud base with only see and avoid (looking where you can not see) - but I bet if you asked any or every jet pilot about gliders circling at cloud base without a way to see if they are there - there would be 100% agreement in that result. Shouldn't they matter to us (the soaring community)

On "New Gadgets" - were are not talking about new improved decals - gadget kind of marginalizes the topic.

If you took ta 2018 car (any car) and started taking stuff off it until you only had items found in a 1954 muscle car - I do not think there is any doubt in anyone's mind which is the safer thing to drive. Pretty much a slam dunk.

Everyone has their own threshold of risk - I just think we need to remember the risk is not only to "Me the Pilot". I just do not see how flying Stealth allows another aircraft from slamming into you because they could not see you - and how you justify your desire to not allow them to see you. I decided a while ago not to fly without both a Flarm and transponder - and if they make something else that allows another aircraft to see me - i will get that also.

It is pretty common to hear glider pilots giving advice on a glider purchase to say " spend money on a glider you like and more for to get a trailer you love" - I would add "budget for a device you can see other planes and they can see you".

As I was told by my mentor in gliding - "the glider that hits you is the one you did not see"

WH