AoA keep it going!

Ian wrote:


Are you saying that I could look at another indicator without spending
any less time on anything else?

One can give adequate attention to every instrument which can fit on a
glider panel, and many more.


[....]


The vario-off mode is OK, if you must reduce the aural clutter, but
please tell us how you believe that turning off a major link (radio) you
have with one of the greatest hazards in flying (other traffic) is going
to improve your longevity....

Any thing which reduces potential distraction during the most
hazardous phase of flying is a Good Thing, in my book.

I find the radio useful for expanding awareness of those things which
are not readily visible. Continuous three-hundred-sixty degree
all-aspect awareness may be impossible for humans, but expanding what we
do have is always good. Having too much information is far more rare
than is sub-standard processing.


Hearing gliders isn't nearly as important as seeing them.

Seeing other aircraft is often aided by hearing radio transmissions.
Have you literally heard an aircraft you didn't first see? When you do,
you may wish you had had some indication of its location prior to your
close encounter. The radio is one way of improving your chances. I would
not want to restrict my ability to receive pertinent information from
air or ground sources.



Jack

On Dec 21, 9:58*am, J a c k wrote:
Ian wrote:
Are you saying that I could look at another indicator without spending
any less time on anything else?

One can give adequate attention to every instrument which can fit on a
glider panel, and many more.

[....]

The vario-off mode is OK, if you must reduce the aural clutter, but
please tell us how you believe that turning off a major link (radio) you
have with one of the greatest hazards in flying (other traffic) is going
to improve your longevity....
Any thing which reduces potential distraction during the most
hazardous phase of flying is a Good Thing, in my book.

I find the radio useful for expanding awareness of those things which
are not readily visible. Continuous three-hundred-sixty degree
all-aspect awareness may be impossible for humans, but expanding what we
do have is always good. Having too much information is far more rare
than is sub-standard processing.

Hearing gliders isn't nearly as important as seeing them.

Seeing other aircraft is often aided by hearing radio transmissions.
Have you literally heard an aircraft you didn't first see? When you do,
you may wish you had had some indication of its location prior to your
close encounter. The radio is one way of improving your chances. I would
not want to restrict my ability to receive pertinent information from
air or ground sources.

I also find the radio useful to listen for downwind calls, along with
the communication from launchpoint to winch. That's all we hear on
our ground frequency so it's not a lot and it's useful (to me). I
also like to have the vario on as whilst sink & lift can be obvious
(10 down certainly is!), it points it out very clearly and helps me
adjust the circuit to suit. A lot of my worst circuits have been
flown without the audio vario.

On 21 Dec, 10:35, Cats wrote:

I also find the radio useful to listen for downwind calls, along with
the communication from launchpoint to winch. That's all we hear on
our ground frequency so it's not a lot and it's useful (to me). I
also like to have the vario on as whilst sink & lift can be obvious
(10 down certainly is!), it points it out very clearly and helps me
adjust the circuit to suit. A lot of my worst circuits have been
flown without the audio vario.

As I wrote, " ... final approach ..."

Ian

I had a buddy who was killed in his sailplane when he was hit by a powered
plane while on final (the 3 people in the plane died even faster).

Bert

"Ian" wrote in message
...
On 21 Dec, 10:35, Cats wrote:

I also find the radio useful to listen for downwind calls, along with
the communication from launchpoint to winch. That's all we hear on
our ground frequency so it's not a lot and it's useful (to me). I
also like to have the vario on as whilst sink & lift can be obvious
(10 down certainly is!), it points it out very clearly and helps me
adjust the circuit to suit. A lot of my worst circuits have been
flown without the audio vario.

As I wrote, " ... final approach ..."

Ian

On 21 Dec, 16:11, "Bert Willing"
wrote:

"Ian" wrote in message

...

On 21 Dec, 10:35, Cats wrote:

I also find the radio useful to listen for downwind calls, along with
the communication from launchpoint to winch. That's all we hear on
our ground frequency so it's not a lot and it's useful (to me). I
also like to have the vario on as whilst sink & lift can be obvious
(10 down certainly is!), it points it out very clearly and helps me
adjust the circuit to suit. A lot of my worst circuits have been
flown without the audio vario.

As I wrote, " ... final approach ..."

I had a buddy who was killed in his sailplane when he was hit by a powered
plane while on final (the 3 people in the plane died even faster).

That's very sad.

However, like all individual cases, it doesn't really add much
evidence. Some might say that it shows how important it is to have a
radio on. Some might say it shows how important it is not to be
distracted by a vario ... or radio.

Ian

Ian wrote:


...like all individual cases, it doesn't really add much
evidence. Some might say that it shows how important it is to have a
radio on. Some might say it shows how important it is not to be
distracted by a vario ... or radio.


Is that an argument for ignoring statistical aggregations of individual
events, or the experience of generations of pilots distilled into
training manuals and, hopefully, regulations?


Jack

On 21 Dec, 21:21, J a c k wrote:
Ian wrote:

...like all individual cases, it doesn't really add much

evidence. Some might say that it shows how important it is to have a
radio on. Some might say it shows how important it is not to be
distracted by a vario ... or radio.

Is that an argument for ignoring statistical aggregations of individual
events, or the experience of generations of pilots distilled into
training manuals and, hopefully, regulations?

It's an argument for not reading too much into an individual case,
that's all.

Incidentally, it's worth remembering that every significant change to
a training manual or regulation indicates a willingness to admit that
the distilled experience of generations of pilots has, in some
respect, been wrong.

Or would you care for me to make an argument that since generations of
glider pilots have seen no need for AoA indicators, they must be
useless ... ?

Ian

Ian wrote:
On 21 Dec, 10:35, Cats wrote:

I also find the radio useful to listen for downwind calls, along with
the communication from launchpoint to winch. That's all we hear on
our ground frequency so it's not a lot and it's useful (to me). I
also like to have the vario on as whilst sink & lift can be obvious
(10 down certainly is!), it points it out very clearly and helps me
adjust the circuit to suit. A lot of my worst circuits have been
flown without the audio vario.

As I wrote, " ... final approach ..."

But final approach is the easy part, Ian. You have so few alternatives
left, after all.

Don't most die in the final turn?



Jack

On 21 Dec, 20:52, J a c k wrote:
Ian wrote:
On 21 Dec, 10:35, Cats wrote:

I also find the radio useful to listen for downwind calls, along with
the communication from launchpoint to winch. That's all we hear on
our ground frequency so it's not a lot and it's useful (to me). I
also like to have the vario on as whilst sink & lift can be obvious
(10 down certainly is!), it points it out very clearly and helps me
adjust the circuit to suit. A lot of my worst circuits have been
flown without the audio vario.

As I wrote, " ... final approach ..."

But final approach is the easy part, Ian. You have so few alternatives
left, after all.

Yes. That's why I don't see any great problem in having audio
distractions off and concentrating on landing.

Normally I soar with the radio off, turn it on when I decide to
return, use it as appropriate in the circuit and kill it when it's not
going to be of any more use.

Don't most die in the final turn?

The overwhelming majority survive the final turn!

Ian

Ian wrote:


Don't most die in the final turn?

The overwhelming majority survive the final turn!


Don't most who die in the pattern, die in attempting the final turn?


Jack