Standalone artificial horizon

At 23:34 05 June 2020, wrote:
ought the US figure out a way to do cloud flyng without an
Instrument
rati=
ng and a power plane to keep it current?

Sure. Just ignore the regulations and go for it. If you get busted, you
mad=
e the call. Unless your aircraft is approved for night flight, or
instrumen=
t flight and you have the proper clearances, ratings and permission,
you
ar=
e taking your chances with the authorities. My glider is only approved
for
=
Day VFR. And that's fine with me. I've flown in clouds, both with and
witho=
ut AHRS, and I simply don't enjoy it. AHRS is nice to have, and I
might
opt=
for the LXNav upgrade sometime, but not right now.



So out of interest how do you manage to stick to VFR rules when
soaring? If you thermal to could base technically you break the rules, if

you are wave flying often you are closer to cloud than VFR rules
stipulate?

So out of interest how do you manage to stick to VFR rules when
soaring?

I don't know the best way to adjust the regs. Clearly not VFR in a cloud. But not IFR airport stuff either. Perhaps some sort of in-between rating without the airport stuff, but with block clearance in controlled, but not too busy areas.

Might be a case of be careful what you wish for and the FAA has better stuff to worry about?

So out of interest how do you manage to stick to VFR rules when
soaring?

I use a highly technical method developed over years of trial and error. I LOOK OUT THE WINDOW! If the clouds are getting close, I descend or go somewhere else.

At 13:22 06 June 2020, wrote:
So out of interest how do you manage to stick to VFR rules when
soaring?

I use a highly technical method developed over years of trial and
error. I
LOOK OUT THE WINDOW! If the clouds are getting close, I descend or
go
somewhere else.


So you never thermal to cloud base? or Dolphin fly a cloud street?

So you never thermal to cloud base? or Dolphin fly a cloud street?

It depends. VFR regs and cloud clearance limits are spelled out quite exactly. I prefer to maintain my legal right to not incriminate myself.

You seem to be looking for a way to do something that is not allowed by current regulations simply because the equipment is available. I have a car that will do 120+ mph. The speed limit is 75. If I get caught speeding, I pay the penalty. Arguing that the vehicle is capable of going that fast does not change the fact that speeding is a violation of the law or regulations.

I am not telling you what to do, if you ask the FAA for permission to fly in clouds in an aircraft rated for Day VFR and not fully IFR equipped, and not holding a current IFR certificate, you will probably be disappointed with their answer.

And getting them to change the regulations to allow something like this shouldn't consume more than the rest of your life.

Quite the opposite, Mark.Â* The FAA does not ask if one is rated or
properly (legally) equipped.Â* They accept and process an IFR request.Â*
If one does not get into trouble following a clearance, who's the
wiser?Â* On the other hand, bail out because you weren't capable, and
watch the stuff hit the fan.

On 6/6/2020 8:06 AM, wrote:
So you never thermal to cloud base? or Dolphin fly a cloud street?
It depends. VFR regs and cloud clearance limits are spelled out quite exactly. I prefer to maintain my legal right to not incriminate myself.

You seem to be looking for a way to do something that is not allowed by current regulations simply because the equipment is available. I have a car that will do 120+ mph. The speed limit is 75. If I get caught speeding, I pay the penalty. Arguing that the vehicle is capable of going that fast does not change the fact that speeding is a violation of the law or regulations.

I am not telling you what to do, if you ask the FAA for permission to fly in clouds in an aircraft rated for Day VFR and not fully IFR equipped, and not holding a current IFR certificate, you will probably be disappointed with their answer.

And getting them to change the regulations to allow something like this shouldn't consume more than the rest of your life.

--
Dan, 5J

On Saturday, 6 June 2020 16:45:05 UTC+3, Stephen Struthers wrote:

So you never thermal to cloud base? or Dolphin fly a cloud street?

VFR vertical distance to cloud limit is being violated by every single glider pilot I have flown with (as a student, flight instructor, competition pilot, you name it). Please let's not pretend that such pilots exists. Yes, you shouldn't do it. Yes, everyone does. No, of course YOU don't.

On Monday, June 8, 2020 at 3:48:31 AM UTC-7, krasw wrote:
On Saturday, 6 June 2020 16:45:05 UTC+3, Stephen Struthers wrote:

So you never thermal to cloud base? or Dolphin fly a cloud street?

VFR vertical distance to cloud limit is being violated by every single glider pilot I have flown with (as a student, flight instructor, competition pilot, you name it). Please let's not pretend that such pilots exists. Yes, you shouldn't do it. Yes, everyone does. No, of course YOU don't.

But I thought cloud base was nirvana for a glider pilot. Now I can't even be happy there, **** you 2020.

Don't worry Jonathan, ATC still can't see "cloud base". (yet).

I flew with a very excellent to-remain-unnamed pilot, who once flew 1000' above me when I thought I was at cloud base. Afterward, he said he wasn't in the cloud, because he could still see the ground directly below him. My rule for cloud base was/is that if I can't see the horizon, I'm in the cloud.

I agree that damn near every glider pilot breaks the cloud separation rules unless posting on a forum, simply because the lift is strongest there. I'm not saying it is right or wrong, but it certainly happens.

All that being said, what is the actual definition of cloud base, that we are supposed to stay 1000' from? I am not trying to be a smart-ass, I would really like to know.

And since I am high-jacking Richard's thread, I will add this: If you do put a stand-alone ADHRS in your glider, you will not be able to fly contests with it. As IGC regs require an ADHR activation to be logged in the file. Again, no judgment here, just passing along information.