Cliff Hilty wrote:
I brought this up before but got lost in the thread shift: What do you
think the "official" position on activating a PLB or similar device
prior to making a questionable out landing? And then if everything goes
well deactivating itafter landing? I bring to mind a landing I made about
60 miles west of Ely last year after a 1000k attempt in Long valley dry
lake. I thought it would have been prudent to activate a PLB prior to
making the landing in case of incapacitation after. Now don't get me
wrong I didn 't think I would wreck the plane, however I was concerned
about communications on the ground.


Sounds like a good reason to have SPOT along when flying in the Great Basin


When it got dark I could not find a
single light for 40miles in any direction with mountains all around.
Amazingly I did have sporadic cell coverage and was able to get my crew
and help to me in a few hours and able to retrieve the sailplane the next
day with minimal effort....but thats another story