Mid-Air Collisions

Other gliders joining your thermal is quite normal, and I wouldn't ask you
for permission...

--
Bert Willing

ASW20 "TW"


"Mark James Boyd" a écrit dans le message de
news:40800ea2$1@darkstar...
Kinda like tow signals...there are a lot of pilots
making a lot of assumptions. I have a lot of
gliders come join me close in a thermal WITHOUT my
agreement. There's some assuming going on there...

I'd say the number one rule is get the
agreement with the other pilot. In that conversation
or prearrangement, one can be as specific or general
as the pilots want. There are volumes on formation
flying (at least for power) and pilots who fly
formation with absolutely no training or research
are missing some excellent lessons learned
by others...and accepting a somewhat higher level
of risk...

From my limited formation training, I learned
enough to choose, at my low skill level, to
generally avoid it. There were enough nuances and
dangers, and my time was too limited to do it right
and remain very proficient, that I choose very loose
trail formations, clear exit agreement, and day VFR CAVU
with an experienced leader, or nothing at all.

Towing near clouds or dual flights with low vis
and cropdusters nearby have, in my past, made me uncomfortable
enough to release, land, and call it a day...
Close gliders I don't know have backed me away,
and even my buddies forming up get "no thanks"
most of the time...

In article ,
TOM RENT wrote:
I'm sure almost every RAS reader has read every word of Paul's account
because we all have been in the same situation numerous times and could
see
the same thing happen to us at any moment.

I have a lot of soaring books but it is interesting that little is
written
or formally taught about this aspect of soaring. Outside of the basic
rule
of gaggle flying in the same direction as others, I think we need a
stamdard
protocol for any proximity or formation flying which we all rouinely do.
Outside of stall/spin in the pattern, mid-airs during proximit/formation
flying (including gaggles) is likely the next most dangerous situation we
activily place ourselves in.

1. What is the safest way to enter a gaggle, and what are the most
unsafe
ways?
2. If you lose sight of another glider that you are gaggling with,
should
you keep thermalling or head away? (assume no radio available)
3. What is the safest way to exit a gaggle, and what are the most unsafe
ways?
4. Pair flying - best practices and worst practices ....?


Let's express our best ideas here and perhaps this too will save lives.

I do know that these recent events have caused members of our local club
to
immediately begin studying our local methods and habits, which I think
this
activity will result in some pretty healthy positive changes.




--

------------+
Mark Boyd
Avenal, California, USA