I can see some ways in which a radio can help for a
slowly developing emergency. A fogging windscreen
or maybe
a glider caught above clouds. But this seems mostly
an already off tow circumstance.

I read recently about a glider pilot who had both of
these
happen on his 100th flight, and used his cell phone
to
get weather info and find a proper landout.

He circled for a while right under the cue sorting
it out.

So as with anything, I think radios can be an aid,
even
in an emergency, but I don't think they are very
useful for emergencies requiring immediate action on
tow.

Once off tow, and in a gaggle, maybe it is really nice
to radio
somebody you are gonna circle under them. I'd sure
like to know (and be asked for my agreement) before
someone joins in formation flight in a thermal with
me above them.

At 09:30 24 March 2005, Don Johnstone wrote:
At 07:30 24 March 2005, Go wrote:
The irony with our club is: no radio, no fly. But don't
use it! We
don't want to **** off the landlord. In an emergency
yes, but no speed
up, slow down, turns, or 'off tow' messages. Go figure.
Of course the
landlord uses our radio freq. to order lunch and schedule
refuelling.

If you are in an emergency (except for the no release
problem where you
have plenty of time) you had better have a radio with
push to talk in
an easy location. Because you just aren't going to
have the time, or
the hands perhaps, to grab the hand-held and transmit.
In immediate
emergency situations the hand-held is useless except
to call back for
someone to bring the truck and haul you out, if anyone
is listening.

I am a little confused here. I can see the sense in
having the radio to pass messages between tug and glider
like asking for an extra 5 kts. I can see the need
for having a transmit button easily accessible rather
than having to pick up a hand held radio but surely
the only action needed in an emergency is to release
from the tow. If either aircraft has an emergency or
problem the first thing must always be to release the
tow before it gets a lot worse.





Mark J. Boyd