Take a look at the responses here....most are wanting to know why the radio
wasn't used to avoid this conflict. I'll repeat the idea that the radio is
only useful when you have some way of identifying your position relative to
other pilots. That is easy with the finish gate. Explain to me how you
could tell another pilot where you are if you just heard them call 4 miles
and you are at the same distance but do not see them with a cylinder finish.
Landmarks don't help...you're too high. Distance from the edge or center
doesn't help...you could be on a collision course anywhere along the way
since you are most likely on differing tangents but both headed toward the
runway.

Your facts are incorrect re the Turf midair. For the record the glider was
in an established acro box on the downside of a loop and the Cub was on a
downwind through the middle of the box which he knew was hot during a lot of
the day. Your using this to support your point is lost on me since I would
argue the opposite or that it at very least that it has nothing to do with
this thread. An analogous situation with the contest gate finish would be
that they would both have been entering downwind, called it on the radio and
if getting a no joy would have kept talking until they did.

Let's try this.....the parcel of cubic atmosphere that a glider might be in
when calling a finish with the cylinder is many fold greater than that with
the gate. That allows many more possibilities for unseen conflicts and
fewer possibilities for being able to identify where you are in relationship
to the other folks. OK you math guys.....help me out with some
numbers....you out there 9B?!

You should have been a politician with your Neanderthal comments and use of
hyperbole JJ. When your argument has no basis in fact that is all that's
left I suppose. Re the denial....what is it that you don't get about some
of those stall spins being unrelated to contests or are you now going to
attribute all stall spin accidents to gate finishes?

This is a good and useful discussion but please let's keep it to the facts
and not get so emotional about it.

Casey Lenox
KC
Phoenix