On May 3, 9:12 pm, Jack wrote:
Frank Whiteley wrote:
http://www.kilkennyadvertiser.ie/index.php?aid=5621

Would the Kilkenny pilot have been allowed to drive his automobile
in his physical condition? Had he driven legally to the airfield
from which he was flying? Could he have driven, legally or
otherwise, into Dublin with all those around him unaware? Surely the
Irish must rise up in arms and place all of those with heart
problems under house-arrest, if such is the case!

Do we now see those who are quite likely to be no harm to anyone but
themselves as being the culprits rather than seeing the nanny-State,
which presumes to decide for each and all of us what is best, as the
real villain?

How interesting that my spell-checker should have suggested the word
"Valhalla" when it encountered "Mulhall".

Jack

I don't disagree that an individual in a personal glider accepts the
risk, but that's definitely not the case here.

I think the stated fact that he continued to flaunt the regs by flying
power and the club's tow plane for four years after the expiration of
his license and medical disqualification is telling. He was flight
disqualified, period, and did not sign the required self-certification
document.

The fact that he died in the glider drew significant attention. He
might have died in the pub later that night, in bed, or on the road,
and that would not have drawn this review. Re-read the last
paragraph. The tone is ominous, yet it has been shown over the years
that a flight medical is not a reliable predictor of whether a pilot
will succumb at the controls.

What it shows is that the club committee or board did not take due
diligence in it's obligations to the members and the greater soaring
community to ensure that those entrusted instructional and towing
duties were, in fact, qualified. The point is, whether some of them
knew, or suspected, they clearly were not auditing the situation.
It's a relatively simple matter to do so. The important fact is that
the individual put all of the members at risk, if not in personal
terms (instruction and towing), at the very least in financial terms.
It was a club glider after all.

Now it appears that entire national organization is is pressured to
jump through hoops due to the arrogance, and lack of personal
integrity, of one, and the negligence of a few.

Frank