I guess we all know each other so well, and our 2-33 is so
easy to fly, and the terrain is so flat and landable in every
direction, and our towpilot so experienced, that we
tend to get lax.

I have no idea what our insurer thinks. Other than sending them checks,
I don't think we've ever talked to them.

I've never heard of an insurer denying coverage for a flight
where a private pilot paid at least his fair share of the direct costs,
regardless of how long he'd known the passenger. I'd sure like
to hear an example of this in a glider. When I was a Private Pilot,
I flew plenty and split costs with passengers.

But come to think of it, I've never had any insurance claims

In article 87CLd.791$Tt.788@fed1read05,
BTIZ wrote:
"Centurion" wrote in message
...
Mark James Boyd wrote:

** Snipped **

Do you have 5 guys hangin' out a lot who are pilots but
not instructors? Have you checked them out in the
back seat? Do they understand how to brief brand
new passengers who've never flown in anything before?
Do they take airsick bags, keep the flights short,
do flights in nice smooth air,
let the passenger pull the release so it doesn't go unexpectedly BANG?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is a very interesting point. I've been flying for almost 20 years,
been an airline pilot and flying instructor, but never been passenger
rated
in a glider. Everything else you mentioned I sat here nodding knowingly
(been there, done that, cleaned the chunder from the panel...), until the
point about the cable release.

Have to remember that when I get pax rated soon Or at least make sure
they (the punters) know exactly what to expect if club policy wont allow a
"non-pilot" to pull the bung.
Cheers,
James
You've been leading a dog's life. Stay off the furniture.

Most clubs and insurance companies would look at this type of operation as a
"Demo" flight and require a Commercial rated glider pilot to "give the ride"
as stated in the insurance policy. I think the only way you could actually
do a "shared expense ride" with a Private Pilot, would be if the Pvt PIC
actually knew the person before that day, and was not taking the "ride" for
a flight except at the suggestion of someone else and not have it questioned
by the insurance company in the event of an incident.

I'll agree that the original suggestion did not differentiate between Comm
or Pvt, just the "back seat checkout", and yes.. we also require back seat
checkouts on all our pilots who wish to exercise PIC privileges from the aft
pilot compartment.

When flying the SGS 2-33, the release is a BANG if "soft release techniques"
are not used
with the Grob103, it is more of a thud.. but then again.. soft release and
almost nothing is heard.

BT




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Mark J. Boyd