Why not put an audible variometer in every glider?

Originally Posted by son_of_flubber

Here is something that you might be able to do to improve glider safety for everybody (yourself included).

Buy yourself a brand new variometer (you deserve it!). Give your old "perfectly good audible variometer" to a club, a commercial training operation, or one of those pocket-empty "first glider" owners that need to buy all of the "extras" that he/she needs. (Dang! that list is long: parachute, wing wheel, trailer repairs, new batteries etc., etc...).

Post the availability of your generous gift to RAS.

If somebody is clever, knowledgeable and motivated, they might set up a program with SSA that would get you a tax-deduction for your charitable gift of a valuable variometer and direct the vario to a waiting list of deserving clubs.

I recently learned to fly gliders at three otherwise excellent clubs. None of the trainers had audible variometers. Now I have to break the bad habit of frequently looking at the vario needle. Dumb. BTW, I have an audio variometer, but I don't have the skill to use it.

I learned to fly at a commercial operation in a L23 without an audible vario. I did an add on to a commercial rating and during my training rarely found lift...November and December in Florida lift is rare in the AM student training sessions.

When I did find myself encountering lift and trying to learn to thermal I did notice that I was spending too much time with my eyes inside watching the needle and not outside looking for traffic where they should be. Reading the posts here on Aviation Banter I realized the need for several accoutrements and purchased an Ascent Audio Vario and found it to be quite helpful. I also bought a good hand held radio and a parachute. I must stop reading this page as it has cost me 3000 bucks so far. Just kidding...good information and safety is what it's all about.

Walt Connelly