Remember the "ejection seat" developed by DG several years back? It
involved a bladder which was quickly inflated by a CO2 cartridge and
lifts the pilot high enough to simply roll out in an emergency. I don't
see why a less energetic version could not be developed. Something
inflated much more slowly by a battery powered pump run off of the
ship's battery. With something like this, one wouldn't have to wait for
a hoist or crane to be rolled out.

I find I can still get out of my ship by pulling a foot back and getting
a firm plant on the cockpit floor but, eventually, I might have to start
unstrapping my parachute to climb out.

Dan Marotta

On 6/5/2014 7:14 AM, son_of_flubber wrote:
I understand that the post is focused on hand controls, and those are of course a great thing to implement, but the issue of adaptation to disabilities in soaring is in fact a much broader and bigger issue.

For example, the disability that is on the rise in the present growing-older/weaker/heavier USA glider pilot population is simply the inability to get into and out of the glider.

I know older rowers who quit sculling because they cannot get into or out of their boats any more. I know some glider pilots who can barely get out of their gliders and it would be a shame if they quit. Has anyone started to use a hoist to get pilots into their gliders?

Has anyone done some simple modifications that make it easier to get in and out of the glider? A sky-hook would come in handy lots of days.