Tom wrote:

OK, have you actually done this in a REAL emergency?

No, and I'm not planning to do so. Our club gliders are all equipped
with needle/ball, and I would be very reluctant to fly over a föhn gap
without.

I have, and it worked.

I've understood this and am glad you succeeded. Just gave you the reason
why course 180 is "recommended". BTW: I don't believe that such a decent
would be successfull in gusty air, at least not reliably so.

Again, I think you are overlly concerned about a non-issue.

I really hope you are correct and I am wrong. I'm not convinced, though.

BTW: Your accident pilot was on unauthorized drugs (Russian
tranquillizer), which was the most likely cause of the accident.

Knowing the involved company first hand, I'm pretty sure it was a lack
of conversion training.

Stefan