Washington Examiner Editorial on "Glider Safety"

http://washingtonexaminer.com/time-f...rticle/2525829

"There have been at least 28 collisions or near misses and seven fatalities in crashes involving gliders and planes since 1998, according to federal data. The reason is that gliders are exempt from federal rules requiring planes to carry transponders"

Grate article!
MM

On Sunday, March 31, 2013 1:14:05 PM UTC-7, Tom K (ES) wrote:
http://washingtonexaminer.com/time-f...rticle/2525829

Let's mandate them in all drones first! IMHO these are going to be a bigger threat to safety than gliders, whose owners are increasingly installing transponders anyway.

Mike

I am absolutely sick of government regulations.

Having said that, I have a transponder installed in my glider, but it was
_my_ choice.


"Mike the Strike" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, March 31, 2013 1:14:05 PM UTC-7, Tom K (ES) wrote:
http://washingtonexaminer.com/time-f...rticle/2525829

Let's mandate them in all drones first! IMHO these are going to be a
bigger threat to safety than gliders, whose owners are increasingly
installing transponders anyway.

Mike

Absolutely - they make Americans drive on the wrong side of the road, for one! How about a bit of freedom to do our own thing?

Mike

More B.S. !!
How many of those reported near misses were with nether aircraft talking to ATC or within radar coverage?
Granted the accident at Minden described in the article was tragic and gladly no loss of life, and within radar coverage.

But that would not help in our valley this weekend with a guest P-51 Commemorative Air Force from a nearby airport giving rides in our valley, low level, below radar coverage, fast, not on the frequency, with gliders around. low level to the point that he had to climb to clear the ridge with gliders on the ridge above him.

Unless he has TCAS on board, he would not have seen a gliders transponder, and he was below ATC coverage.

Half of the gliders aloft in the valley had a transponder.

On Sunday, March 31, 2013 3:14:05 PM UTC-5, Tom K (ES) wrote:
http://washingtonexaminer.com/time-f...rticle/2525829

Where did they get the picture of the glider being "catapulted" into a tree-filled valley? Now that looks like fun. Really, is this from Poland (last Soaring)? Or is there somewhere in the US that does "catapult" launches?
John Cochrane

On Mar 31, 7:34*pm, wrote:
Where did they get the picture of the glider being "catapulted" into a tree-filled valley? Now that looks like fun. Really, is this from Poland (last Soaring)? Or is there somewhere in the US that does "catapult" launches?

Courtesy of google image search:
http://www.photos.com/royalty-free-i...land/144331474

B.

I wouldn't read to much into the 28 midairs or Near misses. I am aware of only two actual midairs where a transponder might have helped.

I was involved in a near miss last year, where I spotted the other aircraft more than 5 miles away and when i determined we were on a potential collision course maneuverd to ensure we were never closer than 1/2 mile. The other aircraft saw me and also made about a 10 degree course correction away from me even though we were already on diverging flight paths. As a result of this incident I have learned that it seems at least one companies policy is if they see a glider they will report it as a near miss. These kind of policies may be inflating the near miss numbers.


Brian

It's not what we knowing pilots read into it. It's what the media and Washington spin masters tell the public that matter.