Washington Examiner Editorial on "Glider Safety"

I don't mind editorials but the writer should get his facts
straight.

As I see it the issue on implementation is not the weight. It is the
additional cost (unit, wiring, antenna, etc) and the effect on our
limited battery capacity.

Also, "The glider exemption was a simple oversight in the first
place." HUH??

Let's point him in the direction of LSA. Or maybe automobile crashes
where there are certainly many orders of magnitude more near misses,
crashes and fatalities.

- John

Seems to me there's a statement in the FARs regarding transponders along the
lines of "aircraft with engine-driven electrical systems" or similar.
Gliders are exempt by default since they generally don't have engines. Same
with classic or simple airplanes that have no generators or alternators.


"JohnDeRosa" wrote in message
...
I don't mind editorials but the writer should get his facts
straight.

As I see it the issue on implementation is not the weight. It is the
additional cost (unit, wiring, antenna, etc) and the effect on our
limited battery capacity.

Also, "The glider exemption was a simple oversight in the first
place." HUH??

Let's point him in the direction of LSA. Or maybe automobile crashes
where there are certainly many orders of magnitude more near misses,
crashes and fatalities.

- John

More B.S. !!
How many of those reported near misses were with nether aircraft talking to ATC or within radar coverage?
Granted the accident at Minden described in the article was tragic and gladly no loss of life, and within radar coverage.

But that would not help in our valley this weekend with a guest P-51 Commemorative Air Force from a nearby airport giving rides in our valley, low level, below radar coverage, fast, not on the frequency, with gliders around. low level to the point that he had to climb to clear the ridge with gliders on the ridge above him.

Unless he has TCAS on board, he would not have seen a gliders transponder, and he was below ATC coverage.

Half of the gliders aloft in the valley had a transponder.

On Sunday, March 31, 2013 3:14:05 PM UTC-5, Tom K (ES) wrote:
http://washingtonexaminer.com/time-f...rticle/2525829

Where did they get the picture of the glider being "catapulted" into a tree-filled valley? Now that looks like fun. Really, is this from Poland (last Soaring)? Or is there somewhere in the US that does "catapult" launches?
John Cochrane

On Mar 31, 7:34*pm, wrote:
Where did they get the picture of the glider being "catapulted" into a tree-filled valley? Now that looks like fun. Really, is this from Poland (last Soaring)? Or is there somewhere in the US that does "catapult" launches?

Courtesy of google image search:
http://www.photos.com/royalty-free-i...land/144331474

B.