Anti Collision Warning

Chris Rollings wrote:
Over the last 15 years or so our instrument panels
have become much more interesting, displaying vastly
more information than previously. During the same
period there has been a significant increase in the
number of pilots with the skill (and willingness) to
soar very close to other sailplanes.

The accidents are caused by our willingness to fly
in a close proximity to other gliders, that produces
the level of risk that produces the accidents we have.

A gadget that worked, if such were possible, would
probably have us all flying closer and closer together
until we got back up to the same (maximum acceptable)
perceived level of risk.

What situations are you thinking of where this would be true?

I don't think it would be true for thermalling together, especially in
contests, as I believe we already fly as close as practical. Flying
closer would make it too hard to maintain safe separation (because of
turbulence, the need to maneuver some, and the inability to hold a
perfect circle), even with a warning device. Possibly, we would even fly
farther apart to reduce the number of alarms (this would likely depend
on the precise behavior of the unit), or because we would realize we
were not as safe as we thought. I believe this requires flight testing
to determine.

Perhaps it would be true for ridge soaring together, but again, maybe
the alarms would actually cause us to maintain greater distance.

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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA