Another EXTREMELY low thermal save

I’m afraid video may be making pilots take these risks.

https://youtu.be/PlXeHeR5Ma8

His response was that in 1800hrs he’s never had an unintended spin. No one ever does...until they do.

Anyone who would watch this video and then try it for himself is simply
stupid.Â* And you can't fix stupid.Â* A Darwin award is in the making...

On 5/26/2019 2:16 PM, wrote:
I’m afraid video may be making pilots take these risks.

https://youtu.be/PlXeHeR5Ma8

--
Dan, 5J

On Sunday, May 26, 2019 at 7:56:56 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
Anyone who would watch this video and then try it for himself is simply
stupid.Â* And you can't fix stupid.Â* A Darwin award is in the making...

On 5/26/2019 2:16 PM, wrote:
I’m afraid video may be making pilots take these risks.

https://youtu.be/PlXeHeR5Ma8

--
Dan, 5J

I think it's a matter of the level of training in specific situations (number of hours flown does not say it all). You may get experienced in thermalling very low over a safe landing site. I wouldn't call it stupid without knowing specific circumstances. In the US we are taught to make a 180 degrees turn from half the alt in the video, i.e. from at least 200 feet = 60 meters (!) to land downwind after a rope break. And we don't call it stupid. We actually train for it. In some Eu countries the minimum is 100 meters = 330 ft. I once tried to save the day in a PW-5 from 100 m over a huge empty runway. Didn't succeed and landed, and it was just like turning the final from the base. Or doing the final from S-turns. Extreme caution and concentration - yes. Watch the speed and keep the string in the center. Stefan clearly informs his viewers that there's a 'landing option on the field below'. Risky? To some extent, yes. Each time we turn the final we risk, but again, that risk is reduced with training. Just MHO, intentionally opposing the harsh judgments above.

On Sunday, May 26, 2019 at 1:16:06 PM UTC-7, wrote:
I’m afraid video may be making pilots take these risks.

https://youtu.be/PlXeHeR5Ma8

I'm not quite sure what glider that is. It's certainly neither his current ASG29, nor the Std Libelle he owned before that.

It's old enough to have a turnpoint camera mount! I'm going to go with Std Cirrus. Looks roomy, and the curves of the instrument panel and vent look right.

He never went below 90 km/h (48.6 knots), which seems absolutely fine for a glider like that in that situation. In a 30 degree turn the stall speed should be around 36 knots, so that's a pretty good margin.

On Monday, 27 May 2019 05:31:32 UTC+3, Tom BravoMike wrote:
On Sunday, May 26, 2019 at 7:56:56 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
Anyone who would watch this video and then try it for himself is simply
stupid.Â* And you can't fix stupid.Â* A Darwin award is in the making...

On 5/26/2019 2:16 PM, @gmail.com wrote:
I’m afraid video may be making pilots take these risks.

https://youtu.be/PlXeHeR5Ma8

--
Dan, 5J

I think it's a matter of the level of training in specific situations (number of hours flown does not say it all). You may get experienced in thermalling very low over a safe landing site. I wouldn't call it stupid without knowing specific circumstances. In the US we are taught to make a 180 degrees turn from half the alt in the video, i.e. from at least 200 feet = 60 meters (!) to land downwind after a rope break. And we don't call it stupid.. We actually train for it. In some Eu countries the minimum is 100 meters = 330 ft. I once tried to save the day in a PW-5 from 100 m over a huge empty runway. Didn't succeed and landed, and it was just like turning the final from the base. Or doing the final from S-turns. Extreme caution and concentration - yes. Watch the speed and keep the string in the center. Stefan clearly informs his viewers that there's a 'landing option on the field below'. Risky? To some extent, yes. Each time we turn the final we risk, but again, that risk is reduced with training. Just MHO, intentionally opposing the harsh judgments above.

There is a huge different to do something because you have absolutely no other options to save your ass, or to do it because you take sporting risk in competition.

I have had low saves in competitions. None of those I feel particularly proud or satisfied of. I believe that in the video risk was small, but it was there. There is no reason for a glider to fly at 100-150m AGL anywhere else than short final to well-planned landing.

There's a big difference between a descending turn with the intention of
landing than trying to climb away from a very low altitude.Â* I'm not
being harsh, only practical.Â* Having a safe landing underneath or nearby
is good, and it's likely OK to thermal away from that low altitude, but
it only takes one mistake to have a completely different outcome.Â* I've
seen the bodies and it ain't pretty.

On 5/26/2019 8:31 PM, Tom BravoMike wrote:
On Sunday, May 26, 2019 at 7:56:56 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
Anyone who would watch this video and then try it for himself is simply
stupid.Â* And you can't fix stupid.Â* A Darwin award is in the making...

On 5/26/2019 2:16 PM, wrote:
I’m afraid video may be making pilots take these risks.

https://youtu.be/PlXeHeR5Ma8
--
Dan, 5J
I think it's a matter of the level of training in specific situations (number of hours flown does not say it all). You may get experienced in thermalling very low over a safe landing site. I wouldn't call it stupid without knowing specific circumstances. In the US we are taught to make a 180 degrees turn from half the alt in the video, i.e. from at least 200 feet = 60 meters (!) to land downwind after a rope break. And we don't call it stupid. We actually train for it. In some Eu countries the minimum is 100 meters = 330 ft. I once tried to save the day in a PW-5 from 100 m over a huge empty runway. Didn't succeed and landed, and it was just like turning the final from the base. Or doing the final from S-turns. Extreme caution and concentration - yes. Watch the speed and keep the string in the center. Stefan clearly informs his viewers that there's a 'landing option on the field below'. Risky? To some extent, yes. Each time we turn the final we risk, but again, that risk is reduced with training. Just MHO, intentionally opposing the harsh judgments above.

--
Dan, 5J

The interesting bit is the complete luck of lookout in all phases of that flight.

cheers

Paul

On Mon, 27 May 2019 09:50:48 -0700, Paul B wrote:

The interesting bit is the complete luck of lookout in all phases of
that flight.

.... and I couldn't work out what strategy he was using to re-centre that
thermal either.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

On Sunday, May 26, 2019 at 4:16:06 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I’m afraid video may be making pilots take these risks.

https://youtu.be/PlXeHeR5Ma8

Interesting to see constant twitching of the stick, to no purpose.
Bad habit!

John F