"Mark James Boyd" wrote in message
news:4026791b$1@darkstar...
Vaughn wrote:
"Mark Stevens" wrote in
Chris,
snip
Yes, that is true. In my experience, most owners of single-seat
glass
wear parachutes, but most clubs and commercial operations using 2-seat
gliders do not. It is just part of the culture. I think part of the
reason
for this is the disincentive created by the US requirement that all
chutes,
regardless of technology, be repacked every 120 days. An out-of-date
chute
discovered in any operating aircraft is an invitation for an expensive
and
inconvenient FAA violation notice.

I think it would be absurd to require parachutes for EVERY flight in
a 2-33 (a glider I've only flown ONCE above 3000 feet). 30 extra pounds
on every flight in a glider with no fatalities in 30 years, hardly
enough elevator to stall in any legal CG, and flown mostly below
3000 feet? Silly, in my opinion.

4 in last 29 years, one ruled suicide, a few more before that, but nothing
like Puchaz. IS-28B2 had a similar reputation years ago when instructors
were spinning into the ground