When is too many at a glider meet

On Friday, June 26, 2015 at 12:15:31 AM UTC-4, 2G wrote:
On Thursday, June 25, 2015 at 9:21:35 AM UTC-6, wrote:
On Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at 10:15:20 PM UTC-6, 2G wrote:
All that I will say to all of these "feel good" responses is that I hope to God that I am wrong and this event will be perfectly safe.

Tom

Hi Tom,
We addressed your original concern of NOT having 80+ gliders coming to the event - more like around 65. However,you still seem concerned. What other aspects of this event are you concerned about safety that we can review and address?

As for Glen - thanks for your kind words.

Bruno - B4

My original question was how many gliders is too many at a meet. This was a simple question. For my efforts I am vilified as a troll. So be it. I remember the 1984 15 Meter Nationals held at Ephrata, WA where they increased the normal limit of contestants from 40 to 65. There were two mid-airs at the contest, one of which resulted in a fatality.

I guess I was naive to expect a respectful, reasoned discussion of the subject. My bad.

Tom

The Ephrata contest you refer to started with 69 gliders, featured *three* mid-airs, one fatality, some very scary flying in a badly damaged glider after a mid-air, a take off with a disconnected elevator (pilot okay, ship wrecked hard) and launches that were barely clear of the runway end on some days. And that's just the stuff that got written up in the magazine (back in the day when we took time to write... and read... long articles in print magazines). Soaring Sept. 1984 if anyone wants to look it up.

Reading that article (again) illustrates just how far the contest community has come, safety wise.

I agree, you asked a simple question, you got your answer (you misunderstood "80"). You were not vilified. The heat was generated by a certain other less gracious fellow who got pretty much the response he deserved.

Have fun at Nephi, everyone. Fly sharp, fly safe.

-Evan Ludeman / T8