In Australia, the late Paul Mander designed and manufactured a self-contained gas-inflated bladder. One simply unrolls it and places it on the seat of any glider one flies. Just find a spot to secrete the gas bottle, and ensure that the activation toggle is to hand. Because the device is not integrated with the aircraft in any way, it does not need certification.

The device, universally known as "Paul's whoopee cushion", is well engineered and seems to work reliably. Inadvertent inflation in flight is, I understand, uncomfortable rather than disastrous, and the bladder self-deflates in a few seconds.

Paul sold quite a few of them down under. His son Henry was mainly conducting the business, but I don't know where that is at, following Paul's untimely passing early this year.

Digressing slightly, it should be noted that this initiative was one of many contributions that Paul made to gliding in Australia. Sometimes irascible, sometimes divisive, Paul was nevertheless a wonderful person who would give anyone a hand, or offer advice, as well as being an accomplished, record-holding pilot. He was not one dimensional, either, having had many achievements outside gliding, in business and in other pastimes.

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