Soaring not compatible with modern society?

On Monday, 25 Sep, 1978, a B-727 crashed in San Diego following a collision
with a Cessna 172. To my knowledge 172s are still flying.

No one is listening to our "safety blather", but the first mid-air
between a glider and a commercial jet will definitely curtail our sport.



And just for the possible edification of some (younger? non-U.S.?) RAS
readers, the San Diego mid-air led to the imposition of 'Terminal Control
Areas' around 'busy U.S. airports.' It was also - and likely is still -
routinely misreported as 'Cessna crashes into airliner' when in fact the very
opposite was true, despite both planes being in contact with San Diego A/P
radio and identified to/in both cockpits as being in potential
flight-path-crossing conflict. IMHO, a classic example of complacency combined
with the limitations of both 'see and avoid' and technology-assisted collision
avoidance.

Much as everyone today seems to wish for it, 'risk-free perfection' in the
skies is an oxymoronic concept. And, no, the preceding assertion should *not*
be assumed my 'comprehensive, philosophic, elevator opinion' regarding
concept(s) involving technology-assists in the collision-avoidance field...

Bob W.

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