On 1/14/2011 9:21 PM, Bob Whelan wrote:
Folks wrote...
When I see the NTSB report 2 aircraft accidents at the same
date, time
& place, it only means one thing. They came together in the air or on
the ground. On 12/20/10 in Madras Origon, a Taylorcraft and Cessna
came together while both were trying to land on runway16. The
Taylorcraft didn't have a radio! Please don't fly without a radio and
use itSnips...


I agree. Snips......the addition of the radio makes things a bit
safer. Returning to
the pattern for landing and announcing one's intentions over the radio
enhances the safety margin unless of course there are aircraft which
cannot hear the announcement or make one themselves.

Even at uncontrolled fields, powered aircraft generally announce their
position and intentions on unicom. Why do we in the glider world think
things should be any different, especially when we can't do a go around
on landing?...
Snips...

I'm not about to argue against the proposition that having and (wisely)
using a radio is not a (potentially, as distinct from automatically and
inevitably) good thing, but I do think it (perhaps) worthwhile
mentioning at this point in this particular discussion that some
significant portion of the powerplane GA fleet (e.g. that subset of
those certified and built and remaining without an electrical system)
still do NOT have radios. Nor am I about to back any effort to mandate
they (or anyone else legally enjoying certain [large] areas of U.S.
airspace) be forced to do so. Life entails risk; flight perhaps more so
than if we choose to remain ground-bound.

Is there an honest pilot who doesn't admit we don't live in a risk-free
world? Is there an honest pilot who sees a way to get TO a risk-free
world? Or do some amongst us wish to mandate (in addition to immediately
junking perfectly airworthy 2-33's and every L-13 in sight [WARNING: wry
humor nearby]) we also junk every ATC-ed and airworthy powerplane
lacking electrical systems?

While I understand the sentiments and pain behind lost fellow pilots
(and friends) - my own personal strictly-weekend-flyer total is nearing
double figures - I hope none of my living friends seriously would
support such a mandate.

Seriously,
Bob W.

What would be so onerous about a radio mandate, when handhelds are
widely available for ~$200?

--
Mike Schumann