At 18:50 27 February 2012, Tony wrote:
On Feb 27, 12:22=A0pm, Robert S wrote:
Considering this and recent threads combined with low participation
rates for contests, this seems appropriate:

"We have met the enemy and he is us." =A0Seems pretty fitting to this
newbie...

RS

I would recommend reading the rules (http://www.ssa.org/myhome.asp?
mbr=3D6310235857) yourself and basing any opinion of them on that
reading, not on what you've read on RAS, especially in the last month
or so. There has been a lot of exaggeration and "what if"
extrapolation here lately.


As someone who has flown gliders in cloud using gyro instruments in a
country where this is still legal (UK) let me say that I would not even
consider doing so with a gps based system updating at 1 Hz. I have flown
limited panel (turn & slip) and the secret to being able to successfully
fly high rate turns in cloud is using the rate of change displayed by both
gyros and pitot instruments. With a 1 second or more lag this would almost
certainly result in PIO's and loss of control if trying to fly a thermal
turn. In my opinion positively dangerous although perhaps useful for flying
wings level with airbrakes deployed for an emergency descent if trapped
above cloud.
IMHO this whole thing is being overblown and if tried may result in an
increased accident rate, rather than increasing safety as has been
suggested.

Here in the UK in any case the advantage of climbing high in a modern
glider in cloud is debatable to say the least due to the effects of water
and ice on the wings.

Terry Walsh