On Friday, June 5, 2020 at 7:29:19 AM UTC-6, psb wrote:
I have seen a couple of frightening canopy issues that did not result in anything awful, but were instructive. Here's my two cents:

You CANNOT rely on the glider pilot, regardless of experience, doing the right thing when a side-opening glider canopy pops open in flight. Glider clubs do not have the resources to train for this. So either we create the resources to train or we stop launching with the canopy unlatched.

Our club does have a wonderful simulator setup. I thought of hooking up a couple of squirrel cage fans or air compressor hoses and an air horn to simulate a canopy opening in flight. The noise needs to be significant and the airflow needs to induce tears. Still thinking about it.

The other approach is to commit to never, ever launching with the canopy open again. A few weeks ago instituted a mandatory radio call prior to take-off: "Sailplane XYZ canopy locked, air brakes in, ready for takeoff." Wing runners are trained to look for positive canopy check. Years before I started with the Navy, they instituted mandatory "three down and locked" call on final. That apparently was enough of a trigger to eliminate gear up landings. Maybe we can do the same with canopies.

One final thought: Get rid of all side opening canopies.

Yelling at people about checklists hasn't worked for anyone yet, as far as I can tell.

Yelling No , but pilots that march to their own drum must be talked to with authority. In aviation there is a thing called airman-ship . One must be open to constructive criticism and put their ego aside. If a pilot gets angry or refuses to listen they should be asked not to return, or their membership revoked by vote.