On Monday, September 9, 2019 at 9:03:48 AM UTC-7, Eric Greenwell wrote:
2G wrote on 9/8/2019 10:17 PM:
On Sunday, September 8, 2019 at 6:52:44 PM UTC-7, Richard DalCanto wrote:
On Sunday, September 8, 2019 at 11:20:53 AM UTC-6, krasw wrote:

Those pictures show a nice looking field. I'm sure he's landed in fields like that many times. Bumps and rocks are always a risk when landing in a field.

A bump or rock can break your spine - there is no such thing as a "nice looking field," just some that are less desirable than others.

I'll point out the risk from a bump or rock varies with the glider you use. My
(26E) glider and your glider (31Mi) have tall, massive gears designed to provide
significant protection from bumps, rocks, and even badly botched landings on
pavement. And, not just from the height of the gear, but it's shock absorption and
progressive collapse during the collision with the bump or rock. So, I have no
fear of bumps or rocks in an off-airport landing.

I do fear ditches and boulders (basically, anything bigger than the tire), but
even then, the gear will reduce the damage I would suffer compared to my earlier
gliders that were designed before crash protection became a much higher priority.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)

Clearly some gliders are much better designed and built than others, but fields that you haven't walked can be a literal mine field of obstructions, particularly if the grass is higher and hides these hazards.

Tom