Attitudes & Reality

On Friday, May 4, 2018 at 11:00:38 AM UTC-5, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)

See and avoid is still primary unless real IFR (IFR in VFR does NOT mean you don't look outside).

At our field, when we get to 5000', it pays to look to the north/northeast now and then. We are under an airway to the major airports in the NY metro area. We have tried to have ATC keep heavy iron above cloud base on weekends.

We are also about 18 miles from a VOR, so we look more when in that area.

But we should always be looking.
Black boxes and screens are nice to add to the mix, but I still rely on my eyeballs.

The trouble is, eyeballs don't work for **** when you really need them. Big Sky is still the main collision avoidance system when flying gliders, unfortunately.

If you don't believe that, think a little about how the best eyeball scan is going to see a small, fast mover coming up behind you on a collision course while you are cruising between thermals.

Ever heard a plane before you saw it? I have - jets even - it's pretty spooky!

Don't get me wrong - eyeballs will keep YOU from hitting someone else. But they have a bad track record working the other way. Which is why I'll use any technology I can afford and fit In my glider to help me detect and avoid traffic.

Kirk
66

On Friday, May 4, 2018 at 5:18:18 PM UTC-4, kirk.stant wrote:
On Friday, May 4, 2018 at 11:00:38 AM UTC-5, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)

See and avoid is still primary unless real IFR (IFR in VFR does NOT mean you don't look outside).

At our field, when we get to 5000', it pays to look to the north/northeast now and then. We are under an airway to the major airports in the NY metro area. We have tried to have ATC keep heavy iron above cloud base on weekends.

We are also about 18 miles from a VOR, so we look more when in that area.

But we should always be looking.
Black boxes and screens are nice to add to the mix, but I still rely on my eyeballs.

The trouble is, eyeballs don't work for **** when you really need them. Big Sky is still the main collision avoidance system when flying gliders, unfortunately.

If you don't believe that, think a little about how the best eyeball scan is going to see a small, fast mover coming up behind you on a collision course while you are cruising between thermals.

Ever heard a plane before you saw it? I have - jets even - it's pretty spooky!

Don't get me wrong - eyeballs will keep YOU from hitting someone else. But they have a bad track record working the other way. Which is why I'll use any technology I can afford and fit In my glider to help me detect and avoid traffic.

Kirk
66

Traffic warnings are no guarantee. Posted one of these before https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQmdoK_ZfY
Consider all the gear up warnings that get ignored. Just because something beeps doesn't mean we will notice. And all the traffic alerts that aren't a factor are a distraction from flying and looking for the one with our name on it. ADS-B alerts train pilots to be distracted and stressed by traffic that isn't a collision risk. While adding to risk homeostasis.
With widespread adoption of this stuff you will see just as many if not more midairs.

And all the traffic alerts that aren't a factor are a distraction from flying and looking for the one with our name on it. ADS-B alerts train pilots to be distracted and stressed by traffic that isn't a collision risk. While adding to risk homeostasis.
With widespread adoption of this stuff you will see just as many if not more midairs.

Actually, the FLARM only alerts to properly configured (i.e., a glider is set as a glider) traffic. If it alerts, there is a collision risk. The algorithms they've been working on for a dozen or so years are very good. So you don't get "...all the traffic alerts that aren't a factor..."

Folks like Gregg cracks me up with their cluelessness.. to prove his false point he keeps posting a video which is case in point of why see and avoid does not work. indeed most folks will miss the gorilla since we can’t trust our eyes. It was part of the presentation the flarm folks were giving at a time. And then he gives example of those cases when gear alarms were ignored. I heard of such cases. For each example of ignored gear alarm there are countless of examples were gear alarm saved a gear up landings.
I bet he drives without seat belts since there are documented cases of fatalities due to seat belts.

Ramy

On Friday, May 4, 2018 at 5:28:24 PM UTC-5, wrote:

Traffic warnings are no guarantee. Posted one of these before https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQmdoK_ZfY
Consider all the gear up warnings that get ignored. Just because something beeps doesn't mean we will notice. And all the traffic alerts that aren't a factor are a distraction from flying and looking for the one with our name on it. ADS-B alerts train pilots to be distracted and stressed by traffic that isn't a collision risk. While adding to risk homeostasis.
With widespread adoption of this stuff you will see just as many if not more midairs.

Damnit, you are SO FULL OF **** it is unbelievable.

If you can't keep track of a collision warning display while flying, you have ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS BEING IN MY SKY.

Pathetic. Go crawl back into your cave and huddle by your fire as the storm goes by. Oh wait, that fire technology is bad and dangerous and makes you more likely to be eaten by a wolf!

Please take your flat-earth chem-trail BS somewhere else.

Kirk
66
NOT scared by technology.

And, most of the "non club" ships I fly have Flarm. I welcome it, but it also means others have to have something the Flarm in the ship I'm flying can pick up.

Nuff said.....

I have a very simple rule of thumb: I would rather be on the ground wishing I was up there, than be up there wishing I was on the ground!

Tom


I use 'think how your decision will look on the accident report'

On Friday, May 4, 2018 at 4:12:48 PM UTC-7, wrote:

I have a very simple rule of thumb: I would rather be on the ground wishing I was up there, than be up there wishing I was on the ground!

Tom


I use 'think how your decision will look on the accident report'

Or on the front page of the newspaper for all your relatives and friends to read.

Tom

Someone once told me that I could catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

But why waste honey on flies?