Guy Acheson wrote:
I am sorry, but to say a Pawnee is too noisy for a
tow pilot to hear the radio, with headphones, is just
too much of a stretch. That is just a crappy installation
or very poor headphones. The glider community is too
full of just too many excuses for not using a radio.
'The transmission is poor.' ' Engine noise too great.'
' Wind noise too much.' 'English is a second language.'
Come on! Radios should be a standard piece of equipment
and they should work. Tow signals are a valuable back-up
to radio communication, but they should only be a back-up...not
an excuse. Aviation is a serious business, not a casual
walk in the park. People die in aviation and a great
number of incidents in glider aviation could be avoided
with better, more direct communication.

Anyway, that is my opinion.

Guy Acheson 'DDS' and '59'



Too many excuses by far.

We run a "vintage glider" club by most standards. My 1970 Std Cirrus was the hot
ship until we got a 1971 Kestrel.

That said - they all have working radios. From the 1956 Bergfalke II/55 to the
Kestrel. Soem of the radios are as old and low performance as what they are
bolted into, butthey all work.

Club rule is - no launch is allowed without the pilot in the glider making a
successful call to ground, on the appropriate frequeny. No excuses, no fuss. Use
a handheld if you must.

Personally, I found fitting a boom microphone and PTT switch to my steam era
King Kx195 radio was an outstanding investment. Next move is to get a decent 760
channel into the panel. Not that the King is a bad radio - it is powerful and
clear. But the amount of battery power it consumes is cause for concern on a
long cross country...

So, my advise is to stop making excuses and fit a halfway decent radio. Your
life could depend on it soem day.