COVID-19 Operational Considerations

Thanks for the note on the XC pilot ensuring there is PPE in the retrieve vehicle. So far the only item of value in this thread - unfortunate really.

I'd agree that this is in large part optics, which I feel can be managed with a responsible plan and adherence to it.

If anyone is associated with a club that is operating and would be willing to share the framework within which they are operating, I'd like to include it in the summary to help more clubs come up with a prudent plan to self isolate 8000' AGL.

Thanks.

On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 6:26:45 PM UTC-6, Tango Eight wrote:
On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 6:00:40 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Please review what I've collected to date and follow up here, or directly with additional operational considerations.



A plan for landout seems missing?

Best suggestion so far: Crew tows pilot's trailer with crew's car. Pilot rides back in glider, in trailer :-).

Seriously... a mask, gloves, wipes would do it for me (as in: I would drive your car).

We're not flying because of this https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/...ily-Update.pdf

The cumulative total is -6- Covid-19 cases in the county our airport is located in (20.7 per 100K population). And similar low numbers in surrounding counties. Some of our membership lives in areas with higher numbers. In my community (~5000), there has been one married couple tested positive (travel related), that's it.

VT Governor's house arrest order aside, the chief risk identified by our board was "looking like jerks" by recreating "during the emergency".

T8

You can really tell the difference in attitude between the Big City folks and the Country Bumpkins. There definitely are benefits to country living. As far as I know, we haven't had a positive case in over 3 wks, and all 6 cases attributed to our county have recovered. Not all parts of the country are the same though.

Best suggestion so far: Crew tows pilot's trailer with crew's car. Pilot rides back in glider, in trailer :-).

Seriously... a mask, gloves, wipes would do it for me (as in: I would drive your car).


Well, the pilot was planning to ride back to the airport in the glider anyway...

Or maybe a plan with a tow plane or pickup truck.
Land at an airport, get an aerotow.
Land in a field, ride back in the back of a pickup.

It seems increasingly apparent that science plays less and less of this.
It is about optics and that includes having a responsible looking plan.
My point was that the 'responsible' plan for opening should cover landouts somehow.

For landouts I suggest that the PIC of a private single place glidder must provide PPEs (masks, gloves, wipes) in his retrieve vehicle - and advertise such before launch.

Otherwise no one might agree to go get him. He will then be forced to hitch/Uber/Lyft a ride home ("Can you please pick me up along a dirt road at coordinates X and Y? [click] Hello? Hello?"), drive back with his self-rigger, and disassemble his glider by himself. All in all an unlikely scenario.

My flying buddy declines my offer to pick him up.Â* Instead, his wife
will drive 2 hours to the airport, get his trailer, and go get him. I
told him I could get his trailer with my car, come, watch him derig, and
he could ride back in the trailer! :-D

Hello, hello...Â* Is this thing on...?

On 4/27/2020 7:40 AM, John DeRosa OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
For landouts I suggest that the PIC of a private single place glidder must provide PPEs (masks, gloves, wipes) in his retrieve vehicle - and advertise such before launch.

Otherwise no one might agree to go get him. He will then be forced to hitch/Uber/Lyft a ride home ("Can you please pick me up along a dirt road at coordinates X and Y? [click] Hello? Hello?"), drive back with his self-rigger, and disassemble his glider by himself. All in all an unlikely scenario.

--
Dan, 5J

On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 8:26:45 PM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 6:00:40 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Please review what I've collected to date and follow up here, or directly with additional operational considerations.



A plan for landout seems missing?

Best suggestion so far: Crew tows pilot's trailer with crew's car. Pilot rides back in glider, in trailer :-).

Seriously... a mask, gloves, wipes would do it for me (as in: I would drive your car).

We're not flying because of this https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/...ily-Update.pdf

The cumulative total is -6- Covid-19 cases in the county our airport is located in (20.7 per 100K population). And similar low numbers in surrounding counties. Some of our membership lives in areas with higher numbers. In my community (~5000), there has been one married couple tested positive (travel related), that's it.

VT Governor's house arrest order aside, the chief risk identified by our board was "looking like jerks" by recreating "during the emergency".

T8

T8: Love your seeming rationale: "Because the proscription worked it is not needed."

On Monday, April 27, 2020 at 10:29:57 AM UTC-4, John Godfrey (QT) wrote:
On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 8:26:45 PM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 6:00:40 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Please review what I've collected to date and follow up here, or directly with additional operational considerations.



A plan for landout seems missing?

Best suggestion so far: Crew tows pilot's trailer with crew's car. Pilot rides back in glider, in trailer :-).

Seriously... a mask, gloves, wipes would do it for me (as in: I would drive your car).

We're not flying because of this https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/...ily-Update.pdf

The cumulative total is -6- Covid-19 cases in the county our airport is located in (20.7 per 100K population). And similar low numbers in surrounding counties. Some of our membership lives in areas with higher numbers. In my community (~5000), there has been one married couple tested positive (travel related), that's it.

VT Governor's house arrest order aside, the chief risk identified by our board was "looking like jerks" by recreating "during the emergency".

T8

T8: Love your seeming rationale: "Because the proscription worked it is not needed."

Prove it worked. Sweden and a few other countries results suggest it has been a dumb ride.

On Monday, April 27, 2020 at 11:34:23 AM UTC-4, wrote:
On Monday, April 27, 2020 at 10:29:57 AM UTC-4, John Godfrey (QT) wrote:
On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 8:26:45 PM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 6:00:40 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Please review what I've collected to date and follow up here, or directly with additional operational considerations.



A plan for landout seems missing?

Best suggestion so far: Crew tows pilot's trailer with crew's car. Pilot rides back in glider, in trailer :-).

Seriously... a mask, gloves, wipes would do it for me (as in: I would drive your car).

We're not flying because of this https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/...ily-Update.pdf

The cumulative total is -6- Covid-19 cases in the county our airport is located in (20.7 per 100K population). And similar low numbers in surrounding counties. Some of our membership lives in areas with higher numbers.. In my community (~5000), there has been one married couple tested positive (travel related), that's it.

VT Governor's house arrest order aside, the chief risk identified by our board was "looking like jerks" by recreating "during the emergency".

T8

T8: Love your seeming rationale: "Because the proscription worked it is not needed."

Prove it worked. Sweden and a few other countries results suggest it has been a dumb ride.

My opinion is that Swedes as a population have a culture that is much more attuned to self imposed social responsibility that Americans.

From the BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52395866

"On the face of it little has shut down. But data suggests the vast majority of the population have taken to voluntary social distancing, which is the crux of Sweden's strategy to slow the spread of the virus.

Usage of public transport has dropped significantly, large numbers are working from home, and most refrained from travelling over the Easter weekend. The government has also banned gatherings of more than 50 people and visits to elderly care homes.

Around 9 in 10 Swedes say they keep at least a metre away from people at least some of the time, up from seven in 10 a month ago, according to a major survey by polling firm Novus."

So the takeaway is that Swedes use the same techniques but didn't need to be ordered.

On Monday, April 27, 2020 at 10:29:57 AM UTC-4, John Godfrey (QT) wrote:
On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 8:26:45 PM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 6:00:40 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Please review what I've collected to date and follow up here, or directly with additional operational considerations.



A plan for landout seems missing?

Best suggestion so far: Crew tows pilot's trailer with crew's car. Pilot rides back in glider, in trailer :-).

Seriously... a mask, gloves, wipes would do it for me (as in: I would drive your car).

We're not flying because of this https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/...ily-Update.pdf

The cumulative total is -6- Covid-19 cases in the county our airport is located in (20.7 per 100K population). And similar low numbers in surrounding counties. Some of our membership lives in areas with higher numbers. In my community (~5000), there has been one married couple tested positive (travel related), that's it.

VT Governor's house arrest order aside, the chief risk identified by our board was "looking like jerks" by recreating "during the emergency".

T8

T8: Love your seeming rationale: "Because the proscription worked it is not needed."

Simple, effective stuff worked for those of us that don't have to travel 60 floors to the street in an elevator. Revised social norms, cutting out airline travel, simple hygienic precautions etc. There is nothing hard to understand here.

I maintain that we can carry these sensible precautions to the gliderport and tow single place gliders, safely. If that makes me a nutjob, so be it.

We're not proposing to violate the VT governor's order. I was unsuccessful in persuading the club to temporarily relocate to a nearby NH airport where we could operate within the the current guidelines in NH. I was told by one board member that my proposal was "sort of immoral".

T8

Not picking on you...sorta seemed to be a good place to copy/quote.....:-)

PS....heard about family, knew coming, condolences......will chat later.


Back on topic.....NY Metro area.....mass transit has cut many bus and subway routes.....Why?....lack of riders....
On the flip side, maybe keep older routes to maintain social distancing, thus safer for users?
Nope.....let's cut service and cram them in....to me, a double edged sword....save expenditures but raise virus exposure....
Sigh.....