Safety against commercial pressure?

On Wednesday, June 13, 2018 at 1:43:24 AM UTC-4, wrote:
I prefer to start this new thread rather than to pollute the original, related to the recent fatal Teton crash. I have some reservations concerning this posting:

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rec....w/UPoMSUMjBgAJ

"My hats off to the commercial pilots and CFI's out there that often times are the lifeblood of the glider operations. These operations depend on people walking in the door to buy a ride and the ride pilots many times take that ride on a day when the private owners, who can choose when they want to fly, would choose not to fly! These pilots fly those rides to pay the bills, to keep the customer happy, and damnit, it is business hours we are open. These pilots are unsung, but so very important. Very rarely, one of these experienced pilots comes up against a force they did not recognize in time. My heart goes out to the families of the lost and to the pilots whom safely fly rides everyday in most conditions many would not venture."

If "many would not venture" in some conditions, I very strongly doubt it to be sensible to give a joyride to an ignorant customer in those same conditions. Marginal conditions can be killers. Bowing to commercial pressure in these conditions is taking a big risk. I'm glad not every commercial operation takes this kind of risk.

I'm not saying that this was a factor in the Teton crash, I have no idea what the conditions were that day / at that location. It's the general idea of "It's normal to take risks if it's for the money" I find deeply disturbing.

My experience is that rides are the second activity to stop, after student solo flying.
UH

Agreed, a crappy ride (bumps, swearing from the backseat, etc.) can KILL the enthusiasm of a noob.
We would rather have them walk away unfulfilled rather than them have a bad ride.

Crappy Soaring days (no lift, no ridge) can be good for rides. Nice smooth ride, no drama, cold slide from release.
If you have lift, go for slight flight extension, don't work hard and keep things smooth, watch your ride. If you see them get tense, Frikkin back off.

Worst "ride" I ever did was at a Snowbird contest a long time ago. Asked a low time glider pilot to ride as ballast and as a learning experience.
Surface winds, 20+, winds at 1000', 50-60MPH.
We released upwind after the second hard rope snap.
Passenger learned what you could fly in, also learned why we don't do it (done in a 2-33).
I canceled the day based on what I saw (I was also CD that year).

No, don't fly rides in crappy/rough weather with nonpilots, if you misread weather and get caught, try to smoothly get out. I would hazard a guess most ride operations around the world have a similar outlook.

Doing rides is slightly gaining income. Mostly it is trying to hook new students. Thus, do things that are more likely to keep them coming back.