Another midair in the pattern

Originally Posted by tstock

I am looking for a headset with a PTT set up for my hand held, one
cannot be too safe.

After a few close calls in thermals with other gliders I have also added
a parachute to my list of required items. *Most of the privately owned
glass ship pilots wear chutes, no reason why one in a rental should not.


Walt, I did the exact same thing. Having a glider start circling with
me in a thermal for the first time was both exciting and scary, and it
is startling how little time you have to spot traffic when approaching
head on. First thing I bought was a parachute, the 2nd thing I
bought was a radio, and the THIRD thing I bought was a pair of
polarized prescription sunglasses, for the exact same reasons you
mention. I haven't gotten to wear the parachute much because I have
always been with an instructor and it was an inconvenience, but now
that I have my glider license I will be wearing it every flight and
using my radio too even in the rentals.

Tom (helipilot)

Some interesting comments on this subject and while I see some are disturbed about the possibility of a mandate requiring radios it makes sense to acquire the technology that might help keep us alive. Our best warning system is our willingness to fly outside the cockpit and use our eyes. To that end I also purchased and wear an ASCENT audio vario. None of the rentals have audio varios and time spent looking at the needle means your are not looking outside where the danger lurks.

The original poster is right, some things just make sense and a radio makes sense. We are all potentially trying to occupy the same space at the same time and this just doesn't work. Seems that some contests will be requiring collision avoidance devices and when there are 60 gliders launching, flying and returning in quick succession, it just makes sense. There was a fatal accident at Uvalde recently, perhaps this would have helped. While I am not in favor of any more mandates than absolutely necessary the radio makes sense. Perhaps the SIXTH sense should be COMMON SENSE. JJ is right.

Walt