Calling it how he sees it...Tom Knauff on the glider accident rate

I copied this from Tom's most recent group emailing...I
think he has some insightful comments, provided unvarnished.




Many of you have written asking for more detailed accident
statistics.

It would be nice to have statistics relating number
of hours flown and number of flights, but these are
not available.

Neither are number of licensed glider pilots who actually
fly at all (a substantial number) or the average number
of hours flown by 'active' glider pilots. It has been
estimated the average active glider pilot probably
only flies 35 hours a year.

Even the actual number of SSA members is not known
as the organization has historically inflated the numbers
by counting certain individuals more than once.

The bottom line is if we did know the numbers, the
statistics would be even worse. The number of fatalities
per flights, or per flight hours would be staggering.

Several of you ask why flying gliders is so dangerous
and what can be done.

Glider pilots as a group are well educated, affluent,
older. They are in good health for the most part. Alcohol
plays no role in the accidents nor does impetuous,
youthful, immaturity, or flying at night or in extremely
foul weather.

What has been demonstrated over and over again is glider
pilots simply do not have the knowledge, nor the skills
necessary to fly safe.

It amazes me how otherwise intelligent people will
subject themselves to an activity fraught with risks
with minimal training, and minimal knowledge.

Using just one example I have spoken often about, 15%
of our fatalities occur during the first 15 seconds
of flight. As a group, we do not know how to launch
safely. These accidents could be stopped almost entirely
if pilots would seek (forced to be exposed to) the
knowledge available to them.

Rather, as a group, we will not make even the slightest
effort to gain the knowledge necessary to make a safe
takeoff.
Takeoff accidents will continue. Except at those places
teaching (force feeding) pilots thoroughly.