Tom Seim wrote:
...
This type of adrenaline rush is what attracts people to our sport.
They don't like to admit (I took some heat when I characterized them
as "adrenaline junkies"), but it is true. We want to subscribe to some
higher calling, such as "the thrill of the flight". But we are
deluding ourselves: we want to expose ourselves to danger and escape -
producing the adrenaline rush. Knowing this can protect us; there is a
limit, if we cross it we WILL DIE. My main concern is that low time
pilots might try to emulate experienced pilots and get into trouble in
the process. This sport is UNFORGIVING!!! If you SCREW UP YOU WILL
DIE!!! Do you REALLY want to show off that much?
...

I disagree with that. Even if this may be the motivation for some pilots,
it is not my case. In a lot of circumstances in our every day life, we are
going to die if we make the wrong decision, but these are obviously completlely
wrong decisions, e.g. crossing a road as pedestrian without looking for cars,
driving in the wrong direction on a higway lane or similar stupidities.
My aim when flying gliders is to do it in a way such that only this kind
of stupidities can put my life in danger. Although I agree that the same
level of ratio risk/stupidity canot be achieved in soaring as in every day
life, I want to go as close as possible to it, by constant training so that
the wrong decisions seem to me obviously wrong. Of course there are some
times with adrenaline rush, mainly during low saves and outlandings, although
here also training lowers this adrenaline rush. And I prefer this last case.
And as a beginning instructor I hope I will be able to teach students to
fly in the same way.