Maybe more to the point is not the hours, but
what could be done to change this?

I don't think hours makes that much difference.
100 hours in a 2-33 doesn't mean a whole lot
towards avoiding inadvertent spin in a 2-32.

I think what helps is:

Spin training, and spin recovery training.
Training in judgement and personal limitations.

Training someone to spin has the opposite effect if
that same pilot has poor judgement. I've
given training to pilots who have then gone out and
abused
it, despite my best efforts at instilling
good judgement too.

Should spin training be required for commercial
privileges? I don't know for sure, but I think it
is the right level to ask the question. I think the

insurers should consider incentives for this
training (for glider and also airplane commercial
pilots).

For airplanes, spins used to be mandatory for
ASEL Private pilots. I don't know about
gliders...

Of course, none of this assumes the pilot in this
accident did or didn't have spin training or
personal minimums well established. As far
as I know, he may have done spins many times,
and been even more meticulous than the half-dozen highly
experienced glider pilots who died in the US near ridges
in
the past 5 years.

I try to spin all of my pre-solos (but I've missed
2 of them).
But I've spun everyone before they get their ratings...

I don't know how anyone can really understand a
spin (and it's dangers) until they've done one personally.
It is a fascinating manuever...

At 13:30 27 April 2005, Don Johnstone wrote:
At 05:00 27 April 2005, Ian Forbes wrote:
wrote:

The pilot received his student pilot certificate on
March 16, 2005. On
March 24, 2005, he received his private pilot certificate
with a
glider rating. On March 26, 2005, he obtained his
commercial pilot
certificate with a glider rating. According to the
pilot's logbook, as
of April 5, 2005 (the day before the accident), he
accumulated a total
of 48.4 hours of flight time, of which 31.2 hours
were as
pilot-in-command.

Even James Bond or Tin Tin could not qualify to carry
passengers in 10
days from novice. Clearly this pilot must have had
some prior
training/experience that is not reflected above.

My South African Glider Pilot's Licence and Instructor's
Brevet together
do not permit me to carry passengers for hire and reward
here, let
alone in Hawaii. If I took on a job flying joy rides
in Hawaii, chances
are I would have to get Student, Private and Commercial
Glider Pilot's
ratings in a hurry. Maybe I could do it in 2 weeks.

The 48.4 hours were probably what he logged since arriving
on the
Island. Of course this does not explain why the accident
happend.


Ian
You are right Ian if I went out there I would show
exactly the same profile, my previous 1500 hours would
not show either.
This probably sums the whole thing up, speculation,
rumour, and heresay, almost anything but fact. If much
of what has been said previously had been said about
a pilot who survived the accident a lot of people would
soon become very poor. Dead people can't sue, or even
more to the point defend themselves against scurrilous
attacks by the ignorant.





Mark J. Boyd