Another midair in the pattern

When I see the NTSB report 2 aircraft accidents at the same date, time
& place, it only means one thing. They came together in the air or on
the ground. On 12/20/10 in Madras Origon, a Taylorcraft and Cessna
came together while both were trying to land on runway16. The
Taylorcraft didn't have a radio! Please don't fly without a radio and
use it, Establish communication with your tow pilot by a simple com-
check like; Red tow this is JJ, how do you read? If I get a "loud and
clear", I know we can communicate if necessary. Next use your radio to
call entering the pattern, like "Madras traffic, glider JJ is entering
a left down-wind for runway 16 at Madras.

We lost 2 good men in Region 11 last year because the tow ship didn't
have a radio. Klem Bowman was killed in the Standard Class Nationals
when his stab fell and he didn't hear the call to release because he
was on the wrong frequency. An instructor died and his student was
severly injured when the battery went dead and they didn't hear the
tow pilot call, "Close your spoilers", a few years back at Minden.

The FAA hasn't seen fit to make radios mandatory, but we can put a
stop to this needless loss of life.Refuse to fly without a
radio.......... I believe proper use of the radio is nothing more than
good airmanship.

JJ Sinclair