Hawker vs. Glider Midair - with photo!

alexy wrote:

Is there a hard-to-see exception in the right of way rules?


No, but there is a physical limitation to the Mk1 Mod1 Eyeball - which,
in the absence of any usable TCAS type equipment is all you have.

Everyone is focusing on how hard a glider is to see in
straight-and-level flight head-on. It seems far more likely that this
was not head on. From the glider's perspective the jet was an unmoving
object somewhere in the sky, while from the jet's perspective, the
glider was a moving object directly ahead.


And you know this...how? It's all speculation until both pilots are
interviewed and their accounts are made public.

Will be interesting to hear the glider pilot's perspective of where
and from what angle he was hit.

Agreed. There might be a lesson in this for all pilots.

"Kingfish" wrote:


alexy wrote:

Is there a hard-to-see exception in the right of way rules?


No, but there is a physical limitation to the Mk1 Mod1 Eyeball - which,
in the absence of any usable TCAS type equipment is all you have.

Everyone is focusing on how hard a glider is to see in
straight-and-level flight head-on. It seems far more likely that this
was not head on. From the glider's perspective the jet was an unmoving
object somewhere in the sky, while from the jet's perspective, the
glider was a moving object directly ahead.


And you know this...how?
Assuming by "this" you are referring to what I wrote (that it seems
more likely), I know this just from the common knowledge that biz jets
spend a very large portion of their time in straight or gently turning
flight and gliders spend a large portion of their time turing, Also,
that at their relative speeds, it is almost as easy for the jet to
broadside the glider as to hit it headon.

It's all speculation until both pilots are
interviewed and their accounts are made public.
Absolutely. That's why I limited my comment to what seemed more likely
to me, with no broader claim.

Will be interesting to hear the glider pilot's perspective of where
and from what angle he was hit.

Agreed. There might be a lesson in this for all pilots.

--
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