WGC - pre-competition mid-air; any info?

Per the FAA preliminary accident/incident reports, during practice there was a
minor mid-air (if there can be such a thing for the pilots involved!) between
a JS-1A and a Ventus-2c. Happened July 31; reported August 2.

Both gliders returned to Uvalde; damage to both listed as minor; no injuries.

I haven't come across any reports of this on any of the WGC sites I've looked
at. Can any RAS readers throw some light on the circumstances? PFlarms in use?
Thermalling? Etc...

Thanks if you can/do!

Bob - just curious - W.

On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 1:59:19 PM UTC-7, BobW wrote:
Per the FAA preliminary accident/incident reports, during practice there was a

minor mid-air (if there can be such a thing for the pilots involved!) between

a JS-1A and a Ventus-2c. Happened July 31; reported August 2.



Both gliders returned to Uvalde; damage to both listed as minor; no injuries.



I haven't come across any reports of this on any of the WGC sites I've looked

at. Can any RAS readers throw some light on the circumstances? PFlarms in use?

Thermalling? Etc...



Thanks if you can/do!



Bob - just curious - W.

Wow, I kept crossing my finger that we will have a midair free contest, but I guess it didn't help. I must wonder why we didn't hear about it? After few flights with powerflarm I am convinced that nothing but putting your head on a swivel can prevent mid air in a gaggle. All the Powerflarm can do is tell you that there is traffic nearby, and in case of gaggle, from all directions and altitude, but you already know that, and likely not going to pay any attention to the flarm display while in a gaggle. But when cruising, or thermaling alone or with few gliders, it is a different story, and flarm is a life saver in these situations.

Ramy

On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 2:59:19 PM UTC-6, BobW wrote:
Per the FAA preliminary accident/incident reports, during practice there was a

minor mid-air (if there can be such a thing for the pilots involved!) between

a JS-1A and a Ventus-2c. Happened July 31; reported August 2.



Both gliders returned to Uvalde; damage to both listed as minor; no injuries.



I haven't come across any reports of this on any of the WGC sites I've looked

at. Can any RAS readers throw some light on the circumstances? PFlarms in use?

Thermalling? Etc...



Thanks if you can/do!



Bob - just curious - W.

Bob,
There was a mention of this toward the bottom of the "Soaring Cafe" article by Ritz on Day 5 of the practice. It appeared on Aug 1 and can be found in the next to last paragraph. Here's the URL:

http://soaringcafe.com/2012/08/sorry...while-working/

I never saw anything else on this mid-air until your posting today.
Thx - Renny

N

On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 7:18:35 PM UTC-4, Renny wrote:
On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 2:59:19 PM UTC-6, BobW wrote:

Per the FAA preliminary accident/incident reports, during practice there was a



minor mid-air (if there can be such a thing for the pilots involved!) between



a JS-1A and a Ventus-2c. Happened July 31; reported August 2.







Both gliders returned to Uvalde; damage to both listed as minor; no injuries.







I haven't come across any reports of this on any of the WGC sites I've looked



at. Can any RAS readers throw some light on the circumstances? PFlarms in use?



Thermalling? Etc...







Thanks if you can/do!







Bob - just curious - W.



Bob,

There was a mention of this toward the bottom of the "Soaring Cafe" article by Ritz on Day 5 of the practice. It appeared on Aug 1 and can be found in the next to last paragraph. Here's the URL:



http://soaringcafe.com/2012/08/sorry...while-working/



I never saw anything else on this mid-air until your posting today.

Thx - Renny

No PowerFLARMs in either ship. Both from the same team, one following the other too closely. Front one (JS1)turned into a thermal, second one (Ventus) followed too closely and hit the tail wheel area of the JS1 with the left winglet. Minor damage to the Ventus winglet. No damage to the JS1. Very lucky for both.

Ventus pilot withdrew from contest.

On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 5:22:09 PM UTC-7, wrote:
N



On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 7:18:35 PM UTC-4, Renny wrote:

On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 2:59:19 PM UTC-6, BobW wrote:



Per the FAA preliminary accident/incident reports, during practice there was a







minor mid-air (if there can be such a thing for the pilots involved!) between







a JS-1A and a Ventus-2c. Happened July 31; reported August 2.















Both gliders returned to Uvalde; damage to both listed as minor; no injuries.















I haven't come across any reports of this on any of the WGC sites I've looked







at. Can any RAS readers throw some light on the circumstances? PFlarms in use?







Thermalling? Etc...















Thanks if you can/do!















Bob - just curious - W.







Bob,



There was a mention of this toward the bottom of the "Soaring Cafe" article by Ritz on Day 5 of the practice. It appeared on Aug 1 and can be found in the next to last paragraph. Here's the URL:







http://soaringcafe.com/2012/08/sorry...while-working/







I never saw anything else on this mid-air until your posting today.



Thx - Renny



No PowerFLARMs in either ship. Both from the same team, one following the other too closely. Front one (JS1)turned into a thermal, second one (Ventus) followed too closely and hit the tail wheel area of the JS1 with the left winglet. Minor damage to the Ventus winglet. No damage to the JS1. Very lucky for both.



Ventus pilot withdrew from contest.


Ventus pilot withdrew from contest.

And rightly so! (at least based on the info above)

On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 6:18:35 PM UTC-5, Renny wrote:
On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 2:59:19 PM UTC-6, BobW wrote:

Per the FAA preliminary accident/incident reports, during practice there was a



minor mid-air (if there can be such a thing for the pilots involved!) between



a JS-1A and a Ventus-2c. Happened July 31; reported August 2.







Both gliders returned to Uvalde; damage to both listed as minor; no injuries.







I haven't come across any reports of this on any of the WGC sites I've looked



at. Can any RAS readers throw some light on the circumstances? PFlarms in use?



Thermalling? Etc...







Thanks if you can/do!







Bob - just curious - W.



Bob,

There was a mention of this toward the bottom of the "Soaring Cafe" article by Ritz on Day 5 of the practice. It appeared on Aug 1 and can be found in the next to last paragraph. Here's the URL:



http://soaringcafe.com/2012/08/sorry...while-working/



I never saw anything else on this mid-air until your posting today.

Thx - Renny

yea, read about it there. It was mentioned today at the pilots meeting along with a discussion about mid airs, keeping eyes outside in cruise and thermal flight, etc etc.

On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 7:22:09 PM UTC-5, wrote:
N



On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 7:18:35 PM UTC-4, Renny wrote:

On Wednesday, August 8, 2012 2:59:19 PM UTC-6, BobW wrote:



Per the FAA preliminary accident/incident reports, during practice there was a







minor mid-air (if there can be such a thing for the pilots involved!) between







a JS-1A and a Ventus-2c. Happened July 31; reported August 2.















Both gliders returned to Uvalde; damage to both listed as minor; no injuries.















I haven't come across any reports of this on any of the WGC sites I've looked







at. Can any RAS readers throw some light on the circumstances? PFlarms in use?







Thermalling? Etc...















Thanks if you can/do!















Bob - just curious - W.







Bob,



There was a mention of this toward the bottom of the "Soaring Cafe" article by Ritz on Day 5 of the practice. It appeared on Aug 1 and can be found in the next to last paragraph. Here's the URL:







http://soaringcafe.com/2012/08/sorry...while-working/







I never saw anything else on this mid-air until your posting today.



Thx - Renny



No PowerFLARMs in either ship. Both from the same team, one following the other too closely. Front one (JS1)turned into a thermal, second one (Ventus) followed too closely and hit the tail wheel area of the JS1 with the left winglet. Minor damage to the Ventus winglet. No damage to the JS1. Very lucky for both.



Ventus pilot withdrew from contest.

131CX (6W) has been flying every day that I have been here and so has 3926J (JS1)

Ventus pilot withdrew from contest.



131CX (6W) has been flying every day that I have been here and so has 3926J (JS1)


Seems that 6W is now in a different class with a different pilot from the same country, just took the 1.50 meter tips of. I have much respect for the pilot's decision to withdraw.
Just wait, it will happen again.

Ernst

On 8/9/2012 5:01 PM, Ernst wrote:


Ventus pilot withdrew from contest.



131CX (6W) has been flying every day that I have been here and so has 3926J (JS1)


Seems that 6W is now in a different class with a different pilot from the same country, just took the 1.50 meter tips of. I have much respect for the pilot's decision to withdraw.
Just wait, it will happen again.

Ernst


Many thanks to everyone for sharing their insights into this incident!

In a completely unrelated-to-this-incident personal interaction topically
involving "glider contest safety," a friend shared something that struck me
(no pun/irony intended) as beautifully pithy...and perhaps appropriate to
competitions still today, even though the observation originally was made (I
believe) ca. 1980.

"Mick Boydon, BGA and RAF CFI and racing pilot and something of a mentor to
me, once commented at the UK Open Class nationals to me about the other
competitors. He said, “There’s life after soaring, but some of them don’t
know that.” "

Bob W.