safer than power flying?

Jack wrote:

Draw your own conclusions, but the more I look at these and (lots of)
other numbers, the more I think that flying any glider is about as safe
as riding your motorcycle to the airport -- but not more so, and quite
possibly less safe.

Gliders are safer than parachutes. And parachutes are our back-up?

I've always been impressed with how well parachutes work. I know a
number of pilots that have bailed out and survived with minimal
injuries. It's amazing that someone with no training or experience in
the use of a parachute can successfully exit a glider without any
warning in a potentially fatal situation, get the parachute open, float
to the ground, and land with with only minor (at most) injuries. And as
long as they aren't injured in the mid-air collsion or breakup of the
glider, they almost always can get out, too. Incredible.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

"Transponders in Sailplanes" on the Soaring Safety Foundation website
www.soaringsafety.org/prevention/articles.html

"A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

wrote:
The following, from _Sails in the Sky_, caught my attention:



"Is sailplaning safer than power flying?" someone asked.

"We think so," said Jones. "You're not moving as fast, there is no
danger of an engine conking out, no chance of fire. And when you soar,
you have to keep your mind on what you're doing. In power flying some
pilots count on the throttle to get them home, and they get into
trouble. In soaring you know you have to keep mentally sharp to work
yourself back to the airport."



True? False?

Johan Larson

Who was it that said that the piper cub was the safest airplane ever
built? They went on to say "it can just barely kill you".