How far you will need to self-retrieve depends upon the flight, not the
glider. A Mini-Lak was the glider involved in the case I cited, and the
pilot was attempting a 750k record flight. And the oft-quoted
self-retrieve distance is way too optimistic - I would cut it in half,
and that might be too generous (having to clear a mountain range, for
example).

Why would you need to clear a mountain range on a self retrieve? Motor to
the nearest airport and land. It's stupid to kill yourself trying to get
home when a safe landing can be made elsewhere, but then who ever said
that glider pilots are "smart", especially those of us with motors or
engines?

Because the nearest airport IS on the other side of a mountain range! That
is exactly what happened at Ely last summer.

O-o-o-o-kay...to my way of thinking, this is less a " battery/self-retrieving
thing" than it is a "Kids, *never* get beyond gliding distance/'known-lift'
from a safely-landable option" thing. I knowingly/stupidly did - once - and
that was more than enough to cure me forever (even though: 1) I already knew I
was being stupid/foolish, and 2) no landout was necessary). And, yes, I'm
"thoroughly familiar" with unlandable/western-mountain-y territory.

Take foolish risks, expect foolish results...

Bob W.

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