In Flight Emergency

At about 800ft I lost a cylinder bolt and the case cracked at about 1:30 on this video.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=972894796062971

Boggs

On Monday, March 16, 2015 at 10:29:19 AM UTC-4, Waveguru wrote:
At about 800ft I lost a cylinder bolt and the case cracked at about 1:30 on this video.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=972894796062971

Boggs

Good job, glad it came down safe.
Waiting for UncleHank and a couple others to reply, our club had a rash of bad cylinders a number of years ago.

Nicely done - both pilots!

Was the tow pilot aware of the problem before the glider pilot called?
Did he get a cockpit full of smoke or did all of it stay outside and
invisible to the tuggie? Did he keep the engine running throughout the
landing?

On 3/16/2015 8:37 AM, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
On Monday, March 16, 2015 at 10:29:19 AM UTC-4, Waveguru wrote:
At about 800ft I lost a cylinder bolt and the case cracked at about 1:30 on this video.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=972894796062971

Boggs
Good job, glad it came down safe.
Waiting for UncleHank and a couple others to reply, our club had a rash of bad cylinders a number of years ago.

--
Dan Marotta

On Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 3:29:19 AM UTC+13, Waveguru wrote:
At about 800ft I lost a cylinder bolt and the case cracked at about 1:30 on this video.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=972894796062971

Turf doesn't look much different to how it was in March 1994 when I visited and hired 274KS for six flights!

Well done folks! Did the towplane engin fail or run to landing?

This has been a very interesting discussion. To look at another site's history, in 1970 the Albuquerque Soaring Club moved to Moriarty, NM. Since that time there has been one reported glider lightning strike and that happened to Ken Sorenson during the US Standard Class Nationals at Moriarty on July 11, 1996. Fortunately, although the canopy blew out and the ship's electronics were fried, Ken managed to safely land at Estancia, NM.

Regarding the use of parachutes at Moriarty, over the past 45 years, there has only been one recorded use of an emergency chute and that event occurred in 2012 due to an in-flight emergency. Despite being injured, the pilot survived and was able to walk out of the remote area.

Over the past 45 years the Moriarty, New Mexico Municipal Airport has been a very active soaring site and today there are perhaps 40 gliders flown on a fairly frequent basis by both Albuquerque Soaring Club members and folks who fly with Sundance Aviation (the Moriarty based glider FBO). Lighting is very common during the monsoon season which usually begins in late-June/early July and usually ends in mid-September.

So, what can we learn here? As others have stated, lighting strikes are rare and the need for using an emergency parachute is also pretty rare, but as someone quite wise once told me.....

"It is better to have a parachute and not need it than to need a parachute and not have it...."

Thx - Renny

This has been a very interesting discussion. To look at another site's history, in 1970 the Albuquerque Soaring Club moved to Moriarty, NM. Since that time there has been one reported glider lightning strike and that happened to Ken Sorenson during the US Standard Class Nationals at Moriarty on July 11, 1996. Fortunately, although the canopy blew out and the ship's electronics were fried, Ken managed to safely land at Estancia, NM.

Regarding the use of parachutes at Moriarty, over the past 45 years, there has only been one recorded use of an emergency chute and that event occurred in 2012 due to an in-flight emergency. Despite being injured, the pilot survived and was able to walk out of the remote area.

Over the past 45 years the Moriarty, New Mexico Municipal Airport has been a very active soaring site and today there are perhaps 40 gliders flown on a fairly frequent basis by both Albuquerque Soaring Club members and folks who fly with Sundance Aviation (the Moriarty based glider FBO). During those 45 years there have been literally thousands of glider fights out of Moriarty.

New Mexico is also well known for its many thunderstorms and the associated lightning which is very common during the summer monsoon season. This active period usually begins in late-June/early July and normally ends in mid-September.

So, what can we learn here? As others have stated, lightning strikes are rare and the need for using an emergency parachute is also pretty rare, but as someone quite wise once told me.....

"It is better to have a parachute and not need it than to need a parachute and not have it...."

Thx - Renny

On Monday, March 16, 2015 at 7:29:19 AM UTC-7, Waveguru wrote:
At about 800ft I lost a cylinder bolt and the case cracked at about 1:30 on this video.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=972894796062971

Boggs

I think of a parachute as a form of life insurance where the buyer, as well as the family, is the beneficiary. And, it comes with a very small annual expense (repacking).

I wonder how many married pilots out there don't have regular life insurance to help their potential widow and kids if they were to die? The number of people who do die is quite low compared to those who don't die, which is why life insurance companies are quite profitable. BUT, when someone in that small percentage of policy holders does die, the family benefits. Think about it.