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Why Soaring's Safety Record Doesn't Improve



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 14th 04, 03:41 PM
JJ Sinclair
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Default Why Soaring's Safety Record Doesn't Improve

Ever ask yourself, why doesn't our safety record improve? We seem to have the
same type and about the same number of accidents every year. Lets take the
*controls not hooked up*, its about time for another one of those. Every year a
couple of guys will try to fly without hooking up a control. This type accident
is 100% preventable. Why can't we put a stop to it? The answer is simple, we
don't have the power to control it. The airlines wouldn't put up with it. The
military would have no problem in eliminating it. Clubs have the power to stop
it. How about the individual sailplane owner? We got the power to control
his/her actions? No we don't and just try and get a little muscle and listen to
the screams. I tried to get the *wing tape sign off* adopted by asking my local
FBO's to refuse to give a tow unless the tow pilot saw a wing tape sign off on
each sailplane wing. I got ZERO replies from the 5 FBO's I asked to try the
plan and several of them had experienced accidents caused by controls not
hooked up.

Our safety record will not improve because we don't have the power to enforce
rules designed to make soaring safer.
JJ Sinclair
  #2  
Old May 14th 04, 04:09 PM
Gill Couto
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Default

That's the same as asking why highway accidents can't be reduced.
The same goes for motorcycles, skydiving, and anything worth doing.

gill


JJ Sinclair wrote:
Ever ask yourself, why doesn't our safety record improve? We seem to have the
same type and about the same number of accidents every year. Lets take the
*controls not hooked up*, its about time for another one of those. Every year a
couple of guys will try to fly without hooking up a control. This type accident
is 100% preventable. Why can't we put a stop to it? The answer is simple, we
don't have the power to control it. The airlines wouldn't put up with it. The
military would have no problem in eliminating it. Clubs have the power to stop
it. How about the individual sailplane owner? We got the power to control
his/her actions? No we don't and just try and get a little muscle and listen to
the screams. I tried to get the *wing tape sign off* adopted by asking my local
FBO's to refuse to give a tow unless the tow pilot saw a wing tape sign off on
each sailplane wing. I got ZERO replies from the 5 FBO's I asked to try the
plan and several of them had experienced accidents caused by controls not
hooked up.

Our safety record will not improve because we don't have the power to enforce
rules designed to make soaring safer.
JJ Sinclair

  #3  
Old May 14th 04, 05:25 PM
Bill Daniels
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Posts: n/a
Default


"JJ Sinclair" wrote in message
...
Ever ask yourself, why doesn't our safety record improve? We seem to have

the
same type and about the same number of accidents every year. Lets take the
*controls not hooked up*, its about time for another one of those. Every

year a
couple of guys will try to fly without hooking up a control. This type

accident
is 100% preventable. Why can't we put a stop to it? The answer is simple,

we
don't have the power to control it. The airlines wouldn't put up with it.

The
military would have no problem in eliminating it. Clubs have the power to

stop
it. How about the individual sailplane owner? We got the power to control
his/her actions? No we don't and just try and get a little muscle and

listen to
the screams. I tried to get the *wing tape sign off* adopted by asking my

local
FBO's to refuse to give a tow unless the tow pilot saw a wing tape sign

off on
each sailplane wing. I got ZERO replies from the 5 FBO's I asked to try

the
plan and several of them had experienced accidents caused by controls not
hooked up.

Our safety record will not improve because we don't have the power to

enforce
rules designed to make soaring safer.
JJ Sinclair


I'm convinced that safety can't be found in stricter rules or inspections.
The very nature of flight is that it takes place beyond the reach of these.
Safety is in the attitude and skillset of the individual pilot. Danger lies
between the ears of the pilot, not in the hardware or rulebook.

This is a classic cautionary tale of misdirected concern.

When I was a student pilot long ago, you would see pilots shaking the
wingtips of their wooden gliders up and down at the resonant frequency of
the wing while staring at the sweep second hand of their wris****ches. The
idea was that the natural frequency would change if the strength of the wing
deteriorated. They were REALLY worried about old wood wings.

One day a wing failed and two died. The FAA and NTSB took the separated
wing to a lab and measured its strength. They found it had failed at 14
G's. The pilot and his passenger didn't die from a defective wing, they
died of terminal stupidity. The pilot simply overloaded a perfectly good
wing while attempting aerobatics. I'll bet right up to the point the wing
broke he was sure he was safe because he was a wing shaker.

The next time you fly, take a second to look at the hand holding the stick.
Life and death is right there. Move it a couple of inches the wrong way and
you die. If you find that thought uncomfortable, find a good instructor to
fly with.

Bill Daniels

  #4  
Old May 14th 04, 06:10 PM
Jim Vincent
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Posts: n/a
Default

I tried to get the *wing tape sign off* adopted by asking my local
FBO's to refuse to give a tow unless the tow pilot saw a wing tape sign off
on
each sailplane wing


JJ,

While this is a great idea, the implementation is far different. I have seen
pilots do a "PCC" and not catch the disconnect or reversal. The core problem,
I think, is HOW the pilot does a PCC.


Jim Vincent
CFIG
N483SZ
illspam
  #5  
Old May 14th 04, 07:23 PM
nafod40
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

JJ Sinclair wrote:
Ever ask yourself, why doesn't our safety record improve? We seem to have the
same type and about the same number of accidents every year. Lets take the
*controls not hooked up*, its about time for another one of those.


People seem to think evolution is always forward, but in fact our
noggins are major consumers of energy, sources of heat loss, etc., and
the moment they lose their ability to offer an evolutionary advantage,
they'll evolve away.

In short, nature is perfectly capable of, and will in fact tend towards,
building a better idiot.

  #6  
Old May 14th 04, 09:14 PM
Robert Danewid
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Posts: n/a
Default

Not true!

The Swedish Soaring Federation has been delegated all authority over
gliding by the Swedish CAA. Since 1993 we have reduced our accident rate
by 50%.

You do not need a lot of rules, you need a few good rules, and the power
to enforce them!

Robert

Gill Couto wrote:
That's the same as asking why highway accidents can't be reduced. The
same goes for motorcycles, skydiving, and anything worth doing.

gill


JJ Sinclair wrote:

Ever ask yourself, why doesn't our safety record improve? We seem to
have the
same type and about the same number of accidents every year. Lets take
the
*controls not hooked up*, its about time for another one of those.
Every year a
couple of guys will try to fly without hooking up a control. This type
accident
is 100% preventable. Why can't we put a stop to it? The answer is
simple, we
don't have the power to control it. The airlines wouldn't put up with
it. The
military would have no problem in eliminating it. Clubs have the power
to stop
it. How about the individual sailplane owner? We got the power to control
his/her actions? No we don't and just try and get a little muscle and
listen to
the screams. I tried to get the *wing tape sign off* adopted by asking
my local
FBO's to refuse to give a tow unless the tow pilot saw a wing tape
sign off on
each sailplane wing. I got ZERO replies from the 5 FBO's I asked to
try the
plan and several of them had experienced accidents caused by controls not
hooked up.

Our safety record will not improve because we don't have the power to
enforce
rules designed to make soaring safer.
JJ Sinclair


  #7  
Old May 14th 04, 09:37 PM
Todd Smith
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I fly for my own challenge and enjoyment. I risk only myself
and the tow pilot (I also tow for my club).

The airline and military pilots fly a mission for the benefit of
the organization, using the organization's equippment.
Those pilots are not out for satisfaction, challenge or enjoyment.

Yes, you could increase safety in soaring by adding rules, policies
and procedures. You would also reduce the FUN of soaring so that
nobody actually flys anymore, that would also reduce the accident rate.

Todd Smith
  #8  
Old May 14th 04, 10:01 PM
Paul Lynch
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Posts: n/a
Default

While I know many airline pilots who fit your description, that is not true
for most military pilots. I loved flying fighters. I would do it again in a
heart beat if they would let me.

"Todd Smith" wrote in message
om...
I fly for my own challenge and enjoyment. I risk only myself
and the tow pilot (I also tow for my club).

The airline and military pilots fly a mission for the benefit of
the organization, using the organization's equippment.
Those pilots are not out for satisfaction, challenge or enjoyment.

Yes, you could increase safety in soaring by adding rules, policies
and procedures. You would also reduce the FUN of soaring so that
nobody actually flys anymore, that would also reduce the accident rate.

Todd Smith



  #9  
Old May 14th 04, 10:59 PM
Miguel Lavalle
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Posts: n/a
Default

Robert,

I don't know if a program like this would be implemented
in the US, where I fly. But I would like to learn its
details hoping to learn something and apply it to my
own flying. This is the first time I read about hard
evidence of systematic safety improvement. Where can
I get more information?

Regards

Miguel

At 20:30 14 May 2004, Robert Danewid wrote:
Not true!

The Swedish Soaring Federation has been delegated all
authority over
gliding by the Swedish CAA. Since 1993 we have reduced
our accident rate
by 50%.

You do not need a lot of rules, you need a few good
rules, and the power
to enforce them!

Robert





  #10  
Old May 15th 04, 12:20 AM
Ian Cant
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Posts: n/a
Default

Before making or enforcing rules, it would be prudent
to get some real and up-to-date information. The SSA
annually publishes an abstract of US fatal accidents,
which may or may not be complete. But many accidents
and 'incidents' go unreported, or are reported but
not recorded or followed up. An accessible and reasonably
complete database of things that have gone wrong might
lead to useful and acceptable suggestions for future
accident abatement. When people are shown WHY rules
are made, with supporting evidence, they generally
self-enforce [Darwin had some thoughts on this].

However, in the end, we all accept a certain degree
of risk by choosing to fly, and that means that some
accidents will always happen either by bad luck or
bad judgment. Neither can be legislated or enforced
away.

Ian

At 22:12 14 May 2004, Miguel Lavalle wrote:
Robert,

I don't know if a program like this would be implemented
in the US, where I fly. But I would like to learn its
details hoping to learn something and apply it to my
own flying. This is the first time I read about hard
evidence of systematic safety improvement. Where can
I get more information?

Regards

Miguel

At 20:30 14 May 2004, Robert Danewid wrote:
Not true!

The Swedish Soaring Federation has been delegated all
authority over
gliding by the Swedish CAA. Since 1993 we have reduced
our accident rate
by 50%.

You do not need a lot of rules, you need a few good
rules, and the power
to enforce them!

Robert









 




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