wrote in message
ups.com...
Key to Flexibility."

What is wrong with looking outside of the cockpit? Do we really want to
put more equipment in our sailplanes? Do you really think that
transponders or FLARMs will prevent collisions? The idea, no matter how
you slice it or dice it, is to look outside of the window ; and we have
a great ones, nice clear bubbles of clear lexan without any
obstructions. I think everybody forgot the good old airmanship- that is
the distinction of a "glider operator" and a "good pilot". How many
times you have seen a pilot flying his/her glider and looking at their
PDA's? And they never saw you...... they never even knew you just flew
by them.
Did I just opened a case of worms? This is just my thoughts.

Jacek
Washington State


Jacek,

Perhaps you don't fly in or near relatively busy terminal areas? If you're
thermalling or being overtaken, a small jet coming straight at you doing 300
to 350 knots is difficult to see before you are looking directly into an
engine intake. I've posted before, that my TPAS alerted and had me S-turning
to find an overtaking Bonanza at my altitude while I was flying straight. I
may have a nice clear bubble to look out of, but it's tough to check six
several times a minute while running between thermals.

I've not heard anyone say there's anything inherently wrong with looking out
the window - - only that the FAA's "See and Avoid" concept is, by itself,
inadequate. The electronic gizmos, if designed properly, serve to enhance
S&A by notifying the pilot that there's a threat aircraft nearby, and to get
about acquiring it visually. It's not at all hard to imagine the recent
Minden mid-air would not have occurred if the jet had been able to acquire
the glider while still a mile or two away. Even if they could not have
acquired the glider visually, their TCAS would have issued a conflict
resolution had the glider's transponder had been on and functional. I'm
aware not all biz-jets have TCAS.

And no, I'm not saying all gliders should be equipped with transponders.
What I am saying is that the technology exists to all but eliminate mid-air
collisions, and has existed for many years. A simple GPS / moving map / low
power transceiver combination could do the job (like ADS-B only cheaper and
available as a portable unit, and like FLARM only optimized for both power
and glider) yet the FAA, FCC, legal system in the US, etc. etc. has
prevented this from happening.

Until they get their act together, I'll continue to look out the window and
fly with my transponder and TPAS (Proxalert R-5).
--
bumper ZZ (reverse all after @)
"Dare to be different . . . circle in sink."
Quiet Vent kit & MKII yaw string