PowerFLARM leeching comments

Ok. Just to play Devil’s advocate and stir the pot a bit, if it is SAFETY you are really looking for, then perhaps the SSA and Rules Committee should MANDATE that every pilot have a 3 flight checkout demonstrating proficiency in takeoffs and landings (logged and signed) every 90-120 days with a qualified instructor. Not proficient? Then no sign off and no flying until you do it right. Since only 4% of the soaring accidents occur in air to air collisions and over 65% occur in the pattern, then the OBVIOUS course of action is to spend the $1800+ that PowerFlarm costs on instruction/validation of pilot skills and NOT on hardware/software for anti-collision products. Spread over say 7 years, that equals about $260 per year for instruction in the environment that is killing most of the glider pilots today (and yesterday as well). The results would be staggering in reducing glider deaths and injuries. Once that statistic is reduced, then worry about collision avoidance hardware/software.

Since the latest and greatest technology is assumed by many glider pilots to be the future in gliding and the most prudent course of action for safety, I guess that better airmanship is a stupid and worthless idea in reducing glider accidents. However, I can’t count the number of times I’ve observed world class (not average) pilots make takeoffs and landings that would flunk them in a private pilot check ride.

In business and life, any prudent person would begin with the big picture first. If you are really interested in safety, put your efforts into reducing the number of takeoff and landing accidents.

Craig R.