Stay in, or get out?

peld wrote:
I was actually surprised how easy it was to get out of the
cockpit. Having undone the harness it seemed like no trouble at all to
just roll over the canopy rail and out into the wild blue yonder. I
have a below knee artificial right leg so I had considered this
scenario for some time, expecting to have a lot of trouble just
getting my leg past the instrument panel, but no, it was really a
piece of cake.

I have the same right leg modification as you, so I'm very happy to hear
that getting out wasn't a problem. I'd wondered if it might be a problem.

Did the leg cause any problems when you landed?


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

Jon,

No, the MKII yarn is not replaceable, so changing to a heavier string would
not be cost effective. Instead, you might add a lead "split-shot" fishing
weight* to the end of the yarn. This should dampen the erratic yaw string
movements you are experiencing.

*Side effects common but most often mild. They may include lead arc on the
canopy, mood-swings, vertigo, nausea, and diarrhea. Do not suck on or
swallow lead split-shot as this can exacerbate these symptoms. If you
experience a yaw string erection that lasts for more than 4 hours, seek
immediate medical attention . . . or enjoy the flight.

bumper :c)


"jonathan" wrote in message
...
bumper,

I find my yaw string always swings out to one side or the other - should I
use a heavier string?

Jon ;-)
"bumper" wrote in message
...
Bill,

I too applaud DG for developing the NOAH system. However, complexity,
cost, and it's "one time use" nature may limit its appeal for many.

After suffering a bout of "frozen shoulder" last year, that made it
difficult for me to even exit my glider on the ground, I've decided
there's a need to develop a more simple air-lift bag for my glider.

This bag would probably be made of coated nylon and be inflated with an
easily refillable compressed air bottle. Inflation would be via a
quarter-turn manual valve with no safety devices except perhaps a manual
interlock pin (if a solenoid valve were used, a canopy-open interlock
could be incorporated). The intent would be to design the "air-lift under
cushion" for ground use only, to assist the pilot in exiting the ship. If
this system were marketed, restricting it to ground use would hopefully
help eliminate the liability concerns of a system intended to assist a
bail out.

Like many of my ideas, I may not find the time to make this. And if do, I
may only make one to test in my glider. (I'm still questioning the
decision to market the Quiet Vent and MKII Yaw String :c).

Comments, suggestions welcome.

bumper
ZZ
Minden



"Bill Daniels" bildan@comcast-dot-net wrote in message
. ..

"bagmaker" wrote in message
...

-
You've had a whack, but everything feels fine. Do you
stay in the
glider, or leave? Just how reliable are the parachutes
we use? I
understand that they're fairly simple quick-opening
designs, but
there's no reserve, right? Has a glider-pilot parachute
ever failed?


Dan

-

Dan,
Simply, there is no blanket answer, way too many variables exist.
Derek Piggot writes a fascinating account of his bail-out in some of
his
gliding books, I would suggest reading them.
Gliding Kiwi has a great article this month on a NZ instructor landing
a
rudderless puch with a PAX - more heart stopping reading!

Basically if it does fly after a hit, check to see that it will keep
flying with some harsh movements -height limits withstanding- long
enough
to land. Landing manuevering can be rough, you want to be sure the
thing
doesnt fail at 100 feet after nursing down from a good bail out height.

Rough rule has been bandied about RAS about 1500 ft as a minimum
bail-out
altitude, many would disagree, but if you dont have a choice.....

Bottom line is you are worth more than a glider, if in doubt, get out

fly safe
Bagger

I've twice faced the decision to jump or land a crippled glider. The
first was a Pratt-Read badly damaged from a mid-air. I had fresh jump
training, a fresh repack and a stable jump platform but I decided to
land it anyway. The critical decision was whether I could control the
glider from the time it decended below a safe jump altitude until it was
on the ground. I could and did. For the record, the other pilot in the
mid-air did the same thing.

The second was an experimental flying wing where a suposedly secure lead
shot bag shifted in flight so as to jam the elevator/aileron bellcranks.
I found I could steer with rudder and slow it to 70Kts with trim. That
let me hit the runway on a fast, shallow glide. It was a rough landing
but the glider and I survived to fly again.

In both cases there was intense discussion post flight about the wisdom
of my decisions. A slim majority said the conservative action was to
have abandoned ship. My view was if the thing is more or less
controllable, and you have a big airfield to aim at, land it. If it is
an airplane loaded with fuel, that might shift the decision toward
jumping. However, a glider that can be flown to hit a large flat area
at a shallow angle is likely to be safer than the 'chute. If there is
any doubt that the glider will remain controllable - jump.

The real problem here is struggling to rise from a reclining position
and crawl over the side with a 15 pound 'chute on your back. That's
difficult. Being old, out of shape and/or overweight makes it
impossible. This is where the NOAH system from DG is so significant.
Of all the safety related things that one could spend money on, the NOAH
system tops the list for me.

Bill Daniels

I know of some bush pilots who wear helmets. I opted for the Amsafe air-bag
system when I bought my Husky, figuring it would provide better protection
overall, and be less hassle than a helmet.

I don't have headroom in the glider for a helmet. I do use 1/4" of Confor
(NASA, Tempur etc) foam in the top of my floppy terri hat. It helps keep my
bald noggin from bonking the canopy too hard in rotor and probably helps
protect the canopy too.

One might not think that just 1/4" of extra-firm Confor would do much, but
it does! You can test this by putting the Confor on concrete and then
hitting it with your fist. Hint - don't hit it as hard as you can - - makes
an amazing difference.

bumper

"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
news:gr2Gi.8312$Ic3.1085@trndny09...
Mark Dickson wrote:
Pretty much the only pilots that wear helmets are military
pilots, and that is probably due to the excessive g
they experience and the forces involved in ejecting.
Also for attaching sun visors, oxygen masks, headphones
and mics. Glider pilots definately do not need helmets;
not in the air anyway, maybe on the ground to protect
against walking into trailing edges.

I do know of one pilot that wears a helmet while wave flying. It looks
like a military jet pilot's helmet, including the darkened "goggle"
portion that covers the eyes. He does it for the warmth in normal wave
flying, for protection from the bright sun (he doesn't fly wave where I
fly!), to support the oxygen mask, to provide protection from a canopy
that shatters in the cold, and for protection from the wind and cold if he
has to bail out at high altitudes.

He doesn't have any problems with clearance to the canopy, but I think a
lot of pilots would.

I rarely fly above 18,000 in wave, but if I did it routinely, I'd consider
wearing a helmet.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

On Sep 14, 1:28 am, Martin Gregorie
wrote:
peld wrote:
I was actually surprised how easy it was to get out of the
cockpit. Having undone the harness it seemed like no trouble at all to
just roll over the canopy rail and out into the wild blue yonder. I
have a below knee artificial right leg so I had considered this
scenario for some time, expecting to have a lot of trouble just
getting my leg past the instrument panel, but no, it was really a
piece of cake.


I have the same right leg modification as you, so I'm very happy to hear
that getting out wasn't a problem. I'd wondered if it might be a problem.

Did the leg cause any problems when you landed?

--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

Martin,

Like you I thought I would have problems. I used to think that the leg
would catch on the panel and come off, but that wasn't a problem at
all. As for landing, I came down on my backside, don't ask me how, and
the leg was no problem at all then. However, I badly bruised my coccyx
and jarred my back pretty bad. What the hell, I was down OK. Thats
what they say about emergency chutes: its only gonna save your life,
it won't be a soft landing. You come down pretty fast.

Phil

Hey Bumper, how about marketing soaring hats with foams? Make mine
brown. I was just suggesting foam on the other helmet thread, sounds
like a simple solution to a serious risk.

Ramy

On Sep 13, 2:22 pm, "bumper" wrote:
I know of some bush pilots who wear helmets. I opted for the Amsafe air-bag
system when I bought my Husky, figuring it would provide better protection
overall, and be less hassle than a helmet.

I don't have headroom in the glider for a helmet. I do use 1/4" of Confor
(NASA, Tempur etc) foam in the top of my floppy terri hat. It helps keep my
bald noggin from bonking the canopy too hard in rotor and probably helps
protect the canopy too.

One might not think that just 1/4" of extra-firm Confor would do much, but
it does! You can test this by putting the Confor on concrete and then
hitting it with your fist. Hint - don't hit it as hard as you can - - makes
an amazing difference.

bumper

"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message

news:gr2Gi.8312$Ic3.1085@trndny09...



Mark Dickson wrote:
Pretty much the only pilots that wear helmets are military
pilots, and that is probably due to the excessive g
they experience and the forces involved in ejecting.
Also for attaching sun visors, oxygen masks, headphones
and mics. Glider pilots definately do not need helmets;
not in the air anyway, maybe on the ground to protect
against walking into trailing edges.

I do know of one pilot that wears a helmet while wave flying. It looks
like a military jet pilot's helmet, including the darkened "goggle"
portion that covers the eyes. He does it for the warmth in normal wave
flying, for protection from the bright sun (he doesn't fly wave where I
fly!), to support the oxygen mask, to provide protection from a canopy
that shatters in the cold, and for protection from the wind and cold if he
has to bail out at high altitudes.

He doesn't have any problems with clearance to the canopy, but I think a
lot of pilots would.

I rarely fly above 18,000 in wave, but if I did it routinely, I'd consider
wearing a helmet.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes"http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" atwww.motorglider.org- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

peld wrote:

Like you I thought I would have problems. I used to think that the leg
would catch on the panel and come off, but that wasn't a problem at
all.

I have a "naked" limb (no cosmetic wrappings, just an anodized shaft)
and, as a result, often have to disengage the heel of my shoe while
getting out after a flight. It catches on the lip on the cross-beam that
supports the stick and front of the seat pan in my Libelle. I've always
wondered if that would be a problem during emergency egress.

I imagined that the shoe would depart before my leg came off: the liner
seems to have a pretty good grip on my remaining bits.

As for landing, I came down on my backside, don't ask me how, and
the leg was no problem at all then. However, I badly bruised my coccyx
and jarred my back pretty bad.

My sympathies: damaged backs are no joke, but as you say getting down in
one piece is all that matters. Thanks for the explanation of why your
leg wasn't affected.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |