OK, prior to transponders in gliders, I was flying over South Park, CO
at the highest legal altitude.Â* A Citation jet heading for Buena Vista
descended over me passing just in front.Â* I recall clearly his wheels in
the gear wells.Â* Had I thought of it at the time, I probably could have
read the brand name on the tires.Â* Very unsettling.Â* Still it was quite
some time before I installed a Trig 22.Â* It had not been invented at the
time of my close encounter.

On 5/10/2019 10:47 AM, wrote:
The Transponder chatter on other threads got me to thinking about who’s got the closest near-miss? Thought I’d kick it off with my incident over 40 years ago. I was flying my homebuilt wooden sailplane over Mono Lake, Ca. Cursing south at 16000’ and 60 knots when I spotted a 4 engine jet below and to my left. Our flight paths were going to intersect, but he was a good 500 feet below me. Two seconds later it became crystal clear that it wasn’t a 4 engine jet, it was a 4 pod jet with 8 engines and the B-52 was climbing fast! Too late for me to maneuver,I’m doing 60 and he’s doing maybe 360, and I didn’t want to throw my belly to him. I just sat there thinking I had a front row seat to my demise! As he passed just under my nose, I could clearly see the copilot reading his checklist! I’m sure they never saw me, but I sure as hell saw them! I figured the wake turbulence was going to tear my little Duster to bits, so I tightened up my parachute straps. Nothing! Guess the turbulence all went below and behind him. How far can you see a man reading a book? I’ll lay claim at 50 Feet!
Let’s hear your story,
JJ

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Dan, 5J