Midair near Minden

I hope so too Jacek. I have some thoughts to add. Thank god, everone
walked away! They all need to get together and eat, drink, and be
merry, and celebrate and forget this official crap for a day or two.

At our club here in north Texas, we have had an ongoing relationship
with the Tracon/atc folks.

We have to, because over the years the airspace grab has been ongoing,
up to the point that the Class B was about to be over our heads. As of
today the south end of Class B is still north of us, only because we
met with those who own that chunk of airspace.

The KNEAD 5 IFR arrival still puts a never ending stream of 250 knot
machines zipping over our field, between 5000msl and 4000msl, when DAL
is in a north flow. TSA has some pretty good soaring days with a north
wind. Our prevailing wind is from the south thank goodness.

We now have an agreed upon system to keep relationships with all
parties happy when the wind blows from the north. It includes a phone
call directly to tracon on north flow days, before the start of flying.
The one item, I'm curious to hear about, if, this item, is on the
Reno/Minden Jeppesen IFR charts. I know it's on the VFR sectionals, but
is there a glider icon on the IFR charts in that region? It has been
added to the KNEAD 5 arrival chart for Dallas Love. The other item is
the Luv field ATIS has mention of glider operations when we are in a
north flow. This a result of meetings with the tracon and faa folks.

In one meeting quite a number of years ago, I was on our club airspace
committee. This was about the time the four corner posts of DFW
airspace were being pushed out. At this meeting which was set up for
our benefit, the attendees were the guys from Tracon, the Faa, and some
pilots and ops guys from a Luv field based airline. The Faa, and Tracon
guys had their sleeves rolled and were ready to work with us. Maps were
out on the table, everybody was writing and talking. It was
productive.

The head ops/chief pilot guy from the airline, at about the middle of
the meeting, blurts out " why don't we just shut them down". Meaning
shut down the glider operation! He wasn't kidding either. Fortunately
the tracon guys, and the faa folks explained to the airline official
that he didn't own the sky. Today, we have some of his guys enjoying
that same airspace with us flying gliders.

I don't want to spend a bunch of money on a xponder either. I'd rather
ease tensions by working with those who can help us in these matters.
It does no good to sit here and go on and on about what the public
thinks. Let's outsmart the public, and keep flying.

With regard to this accident, the final verdict may be a short
investigation, and both crews come out blameless. Might happen, they
both appear to have been doing everything right. They just happen to
meet in the same piece of air. Some are wondering about the jet crew. I
guarantee you the NTSB will ask all the questions and listen to the
tapes for sounds of head down at the time of collision. The glider crew
will answer the same questions. Were both crews fingering their FMSs',
PDA's, noses, and no one looking out at the scenery? We will know.

Yes, and we, soaring, will be scurtinized. I have no idea what
agreements the local Nevada soaring folks have established with the
keepers of the airspace, but, now would be a good time to make the
first move. Again, with all due respect, these things the Nevada folks
may have done.

snoop


First of all...I am extremely glad everybody involved in that accident
is alive. Second, something will come out of this, I just have a bad
feeling; I don't think that the FAA or NTSB will mandate any new
regulations, I am worrying about the reaction of the local airport mgr.
and his accomplices to curb soaring in Minden even more or maybe
completely ban it. I really hope it will not happen....

Jacek Kobiesa
Washington State