Soaring magazine

For the first time in 20 years, I sat down and read Soaring magazine, cover to
cover. Good stuff in there, all interesting. The 2 accident write-ups were hard
hitting, factual information that just might prevent a similar occurance.

George Thelen described an ASW-20 that hit the trees, I believe the tragic
accident involving an LS-8 out of Truckee, last year, happened in just this
way. A little too slow, a little too low, a strong tail gust and you're in the
trees.

Pete williams told of the tragic results of a bright new competition pilot's
attempt to learn a new launch method. The only thing I would add to this
excellent write-up is this; A pilot that starts self-launching needs to add
several items to his check-list that were formally on the tow pilots
check-list:

1. Wind and runway slope? I have seen a self-launch into a 5 knot wind, but up
hill. Pilot almost didn't make it up the hill going east out of Air Sailing.

2. Fuel, do we have enough and is the correct tank selected?

3. Density altitude, do we have enough power for this situation?

4. Engine, Is it developing full power?

5. Abort, The old 200 feet / 180 turn back won't work with a dead engine and
prop drag. better circle the airport until you have 1000 feet or so.

A great big At-a-Boy to the editor and staff of Soaring magazine.
JJ Sinclair

Ups, forgot some stuff.

The only thing I would add to this excellent write-up is that USAF survival
training is to stay with your downed aircraft unless you have a compelling
reason to leave. The aircraft is much easier to spot than a lone survivor.
Splice the antenna lead, if the radio is otherwise working.

Make use of your parachute. spread it out during the day, it's a good marker
signal. Wrap up in it at night. Use the riser lines as rope. splint a broken
leg with chute container and shroud lines, etc., etc. One could write a book on
the use of your parachute, other than for the traditional, *nylon descent*.

During daylight hours, make smoke from a small fire. During the summer, in the
California woods, you are likely to have a Forest Service spotter plane on you
in a heart beat. Don't start a forest fire, just a very small *smoke* producer.
What most of us accomplish whenever we try to light a camp fire------------Just
smoke, no flame.
JJ Sinclair

JJ:

From time to time, I have flown searches for the CAP in
Alaska. One thing that downed pilots have to remember is
that finding crashes from the air in remote areas is not as
easy as it might sound. TM..BTDT.

Anything the pilot can do on the ground to attract attention
significantly increases the chances that you will be found
sooner.

Smoky fires are great. Something in that glider will burn
with lots of smoke. Busted gear doors, whatever. Look around
and see what suitable bits of fiberglass or tire are handy.

Small signal mirrors work great as well when the sun is out
and can be highly directional. MG pilots may have them for
checking prop retraction. Other pilots should consider
carrying one. They are small and light.

Pete
Anchorage

JJ Sinclair wrote:

During daylight hours, make smoke from a small fire. During the summer, in the
California woods, you are likely to have a Forest Service spotter plane on you
in a heart beat. Don't start a forest fire, just a very small *smoke* producer.
What most of us accomplish whenever we try to light a camp fire------------Just
smoke, no flame.
JJ Sinclair

--

Peter D. Brown
http://home.gci.net/~pdb/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akmtnsoaring/

"Pete Brown" wrote in message
...
JJ:

From time to time, I have flown searches for the CAP in
Alaska. One thing that downed pilots have to remember is
that finding crashes from the air in remote areas is not as
easy as it might sound. TM..BTDT.

Anything the pilot can do on the ground to attract attention
significantly increases the chances that you will be found
sooner.

Smoky fires are great. Something in that glider will burn
with lots of smoke. Busted gear doors, whatever. Look around
and see what suitable bits of fiberglass or tire are handy.

Small signal mirrors work great as well when the sun is out
and can be highly directional. MG pilots may have them for
checking prop retraction. Other pilots should consider
carrying one. They are small and light.

Pete
Anchorage


Peter D. Brown
http://home.gci.net/~pdb/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akmtnsoaring/




OK, down and lost:

Plan A. Grab cell phone and dial crew - give coordinates from handheld GPS.
Plan B. Grab cell phone and call 911 - give coordinates from handheld GPS.
Plan C. Grab handheld radio and yell for help on 121.5MHz. - give
coordinates from handheld GPS.
Plan D If plan A, B or C doesn't work, set up camp. It's going to be a
long night.

Bill Daniels

Bill: Cell phones are the best bet if you have a signal. I
some places out west and up north, that can be a problem.
121.5 is great but perhaps a better 1st call from the
handheld would be to the ATC center frequency that serves
your area. (Its a good idea to write it down on the
kneeboard before you launch that day.)

Even in the most remote spots of Alaska you can nearly
always raise an airliner on the way to Europe from the west
coast or Asia. Works in Nevada too.

However, how you get the KAL crew to understand English is
beyond the scope of this discussion.

Bill Daniels wrote:

OK, down and lost:

Plan A. Grab cell phone and dial crew
Plan B. Grab cell phone and call 911
Plan C. Grab handheld radio and yell for help on 121.5MHz. - give
coordinates from handheld GPS.
Plan D If plan A, B or C doesn't work, set up camp. It's going to be a
long night.

Bill Daniels


--

Peter D. Brown
http://home.gci.net/~pdb/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akmtnsoaring/

(JJ Sinclair) wrote in message ...
Ups, forgot some stuff.

One thing you didn't mention was an emergency locator transmitter
(ELT). Small low cost units are readily available. There have been
crashes that the pilot survived, only to die before a search party
could be organized and the pilot located.


The only thing I would add to this excellent write-up is that USAF survival
training is to stay with your downed aircraft unless you have a compelling
reason to leave. The aircraft is much easier to spot than a lone survivor.
Splice the antenna lead, if the radio is otherwise working.

Make use of your parachute. spread it out during the day, it's a good marker
signal. Wrap up in it at night. Use the riser lines as rope. splint a broken
leg with chute container and shroud lines, etc., etc. One could write a book on
the use of your parachute, other than for the traditional, *nylon descent*.

During daylight hours, make smoke from a small fire. During the summer, in the
California woods, you are likely to have a Forest Service spotter plane on you
in a heart beat. Don't start a forest fire, just a very small *smoke* producer.
What most of us accomplish whenever we try to light a camp fire------------Just
smoke, no flame.

You will need someway of starting the fire, such as matches. In a
pinch you could short the battery with a small gage wire (if the wire
is stranded use a single strand). A small gage wire has more
resistance and will heat up more than a larger gage (which is what a
fuse is).

Also, are you dressed to spend the night in the mountains? It gets
cold up there.

Tom

old CDs.. like all those that AOL gives away free.. make great signaling
mirrors in your landout kit.

never ever leave your airplane unless it is 1) on fire (signaling done for
you), 2) its going to fall on you, 3) it's going to fall off a cliff

he found a clearing.. and I'm guessing his parachute was white.... and not
blaze orange.. granted he did not have to use his chute and was concerned
about using it as his $1000 signaling device (cheap insurance)

a lot of people don't realize.. you can see things you cannot walk to
because of roaring streams or cliffs in the way

great article though..

BT

"JJ Sinclair" wrote in message
...
Ups, forgot some stuff.

The only thing I would add to this excellent write-up is that USAF
survival
training is to stay with your downed aircraft unless you have a compelling
reason to leave. The aircraft is much easier to spot than a lone survivor.
Splice the antenna lead, if the radio is otherwise working.

Make use of your parachute. spread it out during the day, it's a good
marker
signal. Wrap up in it at night. Use the riser lines as rope. splint a
broken
leg with chute container and shroud lines, etc., etc. One could write a
book on
the use of your parachute, other than for the traditional, *nylon
descent*.

During daylight hours, make smoke from a small fire. During the summer, in
the
California woods, you are likely to have a Forest Service spotter plane on
you
in a heart beat. Don't start a forest fire, just a very small *smoke*
producer.
What most of us accomplish whenever we try to light a camp
fire------------Just
smoke, no flame.
JJ Sinclair

In article , (JJ
Sinclair) writes:

During daylight hours, make smoke from a small fire.

The hunter that did this in San Diego 2 weeks ago was rescued, the 300 homes he
burned could not be rescued.

Steve

in article , Steve Bralla at
wrote on 2003/11/09 20:34:

During daylight hours, make smoke from a small fire.

The hunter that did this in San Diego 2 weeks ago was rescued, the 300 homes
he burned could not be rescued.

Too bad those homeowners didn't follow the recommendaions that have been
issued for years now, and cut back the brush and trees around their homes.

Do your best to contain your small signal fire, but don't be afraid to use
one. The gunners have a saying: "Better to be judged by twelve than carried
by six." And that applies here, too.



Jack
----
"You'll never go hungry in America as long as you have a
gun and there's a 7/11 open!" -- Richard Pryor, Comedian

Even in the most remote spots of Alaska you can nearly
always raise an airliner on the way to Europe

Hi Pete,
I did that once in Nevada. Didn't know the frequency, so just switched around
until I heard an airliner talking to center. When the conversation stopped, I
called and said, " American 101, this is glider JJ, do you read?" Go ahead
replied American 101. Would you please switch to 123.5 and call JJ Ground? The
message is; JJ has landed at South West Gas. "You got it JJ". After a couple of
minutes, "They got it JJ".
Thanks to all the airline *relay* pilots out there.


JJ Sinclair