At 19:06 13 May 2004, Bill Daniels wrote:

'Mot' wrote in message
om...
With the increase of glider accidents these days,
just how safe is
this sport? There is always a element of risk associated
with flying
but how does soaring compare with other forms of aviation
or
motorsports?

I've been in this sport over four decades and every
spring there is a rash
of accidents as rusty pilots come out of hibernation.
Comparing soaring to
motorsports has much less to do with the equipment
or procedures than with
the safety culture of the group. Safety boils down
to the loose nut at the
controls.

Soaring is neither more dangerous nor safer than the
pilot makes it. I know
a half dozen or so who, sooner or later, will certainly
kill themselves. I
know a lot more that will never so much as put a scratch
on their gliders no
matter how much they fly. I just wish the former would
pay a lot more
attention to the latter.

Bill Daniels

Amen to that

DAJ 401