On Wednesday, September 27, 2017 at 5:53:39 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 12:30:16 PM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
I just listened to this news on a major news network and pseudo confirmed it he http://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1374687

The newsperson actually said, "Why didn't this glider have a transponder, why wasn't this glider talking to someone, how is this possible…" live on the air.

I continue to believe that the sailplane community needs to fully adopt ADSB and transponders whenever outside of 3 miles of the airport (for basic training). Getting an exemption was a big mistake. Sailplane flying cross country, near major airspace, or at high altitudes should absolutely have ADSB and/or 250 watt transponders.

The awful scenario we are all worried about IS going to happen eventually. Its simply a matter of: A) was the gliding community pro safety or B) was the gliding community defiant and trying to wiggle out of safety and make special exceptions for itself.

When IT happens, the result will be unfortunate if we are still on the B path, as we are now…



On Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 12:30:16 PM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
I just listened to this news on a major news network and pseudo confirmed it he http://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1374687

The newsperson actually said, "Why didn't this glider have a transponder, why wasn't this glider talking to someone, how is this possible…" live on the air.

I continue to believe that the sailplane community needs to fully adopt ADSB and transponders whenever outside of 3 miles of the airport (for basic training). Getting an exemption was a big mistake. Sailplane flying cross country, near major airspace, or at high altitudes should absolutely have ADSB and/or 250 watt transponders.

The awful scenario we are all worried about IS going to happen eventually. Its simply a matter of: A) was the gliding community pro safety or B) was the gliding community defiant and trying to wiggle out of safety and make special exceptions for itself.

When IT happens, the result will be unfortunate if we are still on the B path, as we are now…



On Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 12:30:16 PM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
I just listened to this news on a major news network and pseudo confirmed it he http://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1374687

The newsperson actually said, "Why didn't this glider have a transponder, why wasn't this glider talking to someone, how is this possible…" live on the air.

I continue to believe that the sailplane community needs to fully adopt ADSB and transponders whenever outside of 3 miles of the airport (for basic training). Getting an exemption was a big mistake. Sailplane flying cross country, near major airspace, or at high altitudes should absolutely have ADSB and/or 250 watt transponders.

The awful scenario we are all worried about IS going to happen eventually. Its simply a matter of: A) was the gliding community pro safety or B) was the gliding community defiant and trying to wiggle out of safety and make special exceptions for itself.

When IT happens, the result will be unfortunate if we are still on the B path, as we are now…

Did anyone happen to notice that this pilot was registered in NL, according to OLC. Not an excuse or reason, I can see some "foreigner" visiting and 'drifts' into or near Class B airspace outside of ORD. Not being local may not have realized his error. He may still not have realized it as of today, unless the FAA has been knocking at his door or the owners door.

I had an AA MD-88 about run me over about 10 to 15 miles from DAY at 4000-4500 feet agl. What happened to the inverted wedding cake parameters?

Do you have a transponder? Any idea if a TCAS RA was triggered from that incident?

--

In this case the pilot is experienced in the USA, and flying a US registered glider. OLC registration stuff will not have anything to do with this, and just wanted to try to clarify that issue now. (And I have no idea if the glider even actually has a transponder or not, I don't want to leap to any assumptions about what actually happened, we will know all over time.) The best thing right now is everybody is OK.

And to avoid any other confusion, this has nothing to do with drifting into or near Class B airspace, this incident occurred about 54 nm from O'Hare airport. 24 nm from the edge of the Mode C veil, and a bit under 20 nm for so from the edge of Class B. The overall glider flight was away from that Class B airspace not towards it. The reason for pointing out this again, is so we recognize how much traffic including fast jets and airliners are operating in Class E airspace, as you clearly are with your wedding cake concern..

If nothing else I hope this incident encourage folks to be aware of what is happening where they fly. Do things like look up locations of navaids, and airways and SID and STAR procedures, maybe have that discussion with ATC staff to get questions answered and open up a dialogue and address any concerns. And use all that to make a decision wether transponder carriage is justified or not.