TOW PLANE Accident

At 04:42 02 March 2019, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Thursday, February 28, 2019 at 8:50:17 AM UTC-5,

wro=
te:

If we can't expect an instructor to keep his eyes on the tow
plane AND
wh=
en he realizes the towplane is no longer in his line of sight to
release
im=
mediately, how can we expect a 15 year old on her 3rd solo to
react
properl=
y?=20

Of the several 15 year old glider pilots that I have known, I
would trust
t=
heir eyesight, reflexes and training to, first of all avoid kiting,
and if
=
some freakish kite happened, I would wholly expect them to
release
immediat=
ely. Likewise, I would trust any of the newly minted 18 year old
CPLs
that=
I've known to give my brother a glider ride. Pilots with more
experience
=
have had time to become complacent and develop bad habits.
Tabla rasa(s)
n=
ot so much.


I think you are right, more experience leads to complacencies
and you start going things while your body gets on with the
automatic actions, just as you would in a car.
I think it is a personal discipline case where you follow the rule
even though they feel a bit silly, like using a mobile phone in the
car.
On 1 level you think you'r quite capable of doing the simple task
like re -set the altimeter or radio, but in fact if you do your not
really concentrating on the tow.
On the other level you know you were trained to leave everything
until you finished the tow.
Its a discipline thing to stick to the rules

I think you are right, more experience leads to complacencies
and you start doing things while your body gets on with the automatic
actions, just as you would in a car. I think it is a personal discipline
case where you follow the rule even though they feel a bit silly, like
using a mobile phone in the car. On 1 level you think you're quite capable
of doing the simple task like re -set the altimeter or radio, but in fact
if you do you're not really concentrating on the tow. On the other level you
know you were trained to leave everything until you finished the tow. Its a
discipline thing to stick to the rules.

Bingo.

It's that and more, IMO. *Arrogant* complacency ("Nothing could POSSibly go
wrong!") is a powerfully alluring combination when it comes to decision-making.

Add in 'simple thoughtlessness,' and some occasional compulsions to 'show
off,' and foolish behavior apparently becomes irresistible to many pilots.
It's a human-thing...but also entirely avoidable by active choice.

In this particular accident 'showing off' likely wasn't a factor, but that's
not my point here...

Bob W.

---
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
https://www.avg.com