1000km flights

I remember Sebastian Kawa expressing himself in one of the interviews against extremely long tasks. A competition is more about a comparison between pilots, and not necessarily about endurance or chasing for records or 1000 km diplomas. It has to do with safety, as too long tasks over several days inevitably bring exhaustion with them, and possibly accidents.

On Monday, January 1, 2018 at 2:50:49 PM UTC-6, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
My comment was tongue in cheek. I was thinking of New Castle and what a great call by the CD that was!!! I have attended a Nephi event and I launch was very efficient, I thought after a few days all 65 glider were launched in an hour. On a 17,500 foot day, tasks of 3 or 4 hours do not do Nephi justice.

I see all the sailplanes doing the long flights in Namibia are either self-launching or fitted with sustainers. I imagine the logistics of getting trailers and crews to Namibia, as well as flying over pretty isolated areas, must make flying there in a conventional sailplane pretty daunting.

On Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 12:20:13 AM UTC-5, wrote:
I see all the sailplanes doing the long flights in Namibia are either self-launching or fitted with sustainers. I imagine the logistics of getting trailers and crews to Namibia, as well as flying over pretty isolated areas, must make flying there in a conventional sailplane pretty daunting.

They don't have a towplane.

....And landing out could get you eaten. =-O

On 1/1/2018 10:20 PM, wrote:
I see all the sailplanes doing the long flights in Namibia are either self-launching or fitted with sustainers. I imagine the logistics of getting trailers and crews to Namibia, as well as flying over pretty isolated areas, must make flying there in a conventional sailplane pretty daunting.

--
Dan, 5J

Kawa is not necessarily competent in all facets of gliding!

On Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 9:24:44 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Kawa is not necessarily competent in all facets of gliding!

LOL

On Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 8:24:44 AM UTC-6, wrote:
Kawa is not necessarily competent in all facets of gliding!

No, of course not! I can't recall his achievements in glider aerobatics or his altitude records. However, as far as soaring contests are concerned, he has not left the position #1 or 2 for 12 (twelve) successive years in the IGC world ranking list, which probably reflects, to some extent, IMHO, how experienced a competition pilot he is. Please see the table at the bottom of this site:

http://rankingdata.fai.org/SGP_displ...hp?pilotid=491

But I can recall his achievements in long-distance flights in Namibia since 2007 in the OLC. No single one!
I have seen only 3 flights over 1.000 km from Sebastian in this time and these flights were flown in Argentina, in wave condition, in a double-seater with an experienced pilot in the rear seat!

How can he say: "...long tasks over several days inevitably bring exhaustion with them and possibly accidents..."?

Every year hundreds of pilots make thousands of long distance flights in Namibia, flying day by day and the accident rate is close to zero (no single one this year!).

I´m flying there since 1999 and the few accidents I have seen have been caused by unadapted speed in high altitudes (one), by a down-burst during landing in Bitterwasser after a thunderstorm and nearly all he others be physical unadapted people, collapsing in the hot African summer short on the first day after arrival, with jet-lag in their bones. No one by "exhaustion after several long tasks"!

I made 131 thermal-flights over 1.000km and more only since 2007 and I´m also flying several competitions every year. Believe me, the accident rate in competition is much, much higher.

No doubt, Sebastian Kawa is one of the worlds best pilots. But his favorite discipline is competition and not every good "sprinter" in our sport is also a "marathon runner"!

Three years ago, we have had the same discussion in "Soaring cafe" (http://soaringcafe.com/2014/12/wishi...thy-safe-2015/) and it is interesting, that mainly people, which are not really competent in long-distance flying are ascribing a lack of safety to our kind of gliding! Why?

But I can recall his achievements in long-distance flights in Namibia since 2007 in the OLC. No single one!
I have seen only 3 flights over 1.000 km from Sebastian in this time and these flights were flown in Argentina, in wave condition, in a double-seater with an experienced pilot in the rear seat!

How can he say: "...long tasks over several days inevitably bring exhaustion with them and possibly accidents..."?

Every year hundreds of pilots make thousands of long distance flights in Namibia, flying day by day and the accident rate is close to zero (no single one this year!).

I´m flying there since 1999 and the few accidents I have seen have been caused by unadapted speed in high altitudes (one), by a down-burst during landing in Bitterwasser after a thunderstorm and nearly all he others be physical unadapted people, collapsing in the hot African summer short on the first day after arrival, with jet-lag in their bones. No one by "exhaustion after several long tasks"!

I made 131 thermal-flights over 1.000km and more in the same time (since 2007) and I´m also flying several competitions every year. Believe me, the accident rate in competition is a problem, not the long-distance flights!

No doubt, Sebastian Kawa is one of the worlds best pilots. But his favorite discipline is competition and not every good "sprinter" in our sport is also a "marathon runner"!

Three years ago, we have had the same discussion in "Soaring cafe" (http://soaringcafe.com/2014/12/wishi...thy-safe-2015/) and it is interesting, that mainly people, which are not really competent in flying big tasks are ascribing a lack of safety to our kind of gliding! Why?

I think Sebastian Kawa was referring to the combination of 1000km flights and racing. The African camps (I have not flown in Namibia but have flown from Gariep in South Africa) are very relaxed and laid back. Most gliders are self-launchers or at least fitted with sustainers so long retrieves are not an issue. Everybody assists everybody and pilots set their own tasks according to their mood/attitude/experience for the day. Pilots think nothing of taking days-off and experiencing the wildlife or just relaxing by the pool between flying days. Competitions are a bit different - it's a far more stressful environment. Now combine 1000km tasks into the competitive racing environment - and Sebastian is then correct when he states its a recipe for accidents.