On Feb 10, 3:10 pm, "Dan G" wrote:
Hours does not automatically equal flight safety, especially with non-
professionals. People can fly with bad habits for years and "get away
with it", until one day they don't, just like the pilot at Hus Bos
(and frankly many other gliding "accidents").

Anyone can make a mistake, even experienced comp pilots with thousands
of hours (or an instructor for that matter). But if your basic flying
technique is safe, i.e. what an instructor would do, it's less likely
to end in disaster.

I've found a great little article which explains this well. Two
quotes:

"Remember, the principles of good airmanship and aerodynamics apply
the same to all pilots, whatever their position and skills. Don't be
tempted to do something fancy by cutting safety margins. If you do,
sooner or later you will need that margin to survive and it will not
be there. Remember also that others with less experience will be
watching how you operate the aircraft and could well try to emulate
your performance, which could lead them to disaster sooner rather than
later. So set a good example at all times by following the approved
procedures and operate the aircraft as safely and efficiently as
possible. "

and

"an old definition of a superior pilot - "one who uses his superior
experience, airmanship and judgment to ensure that he never gets into
situations which would require him to use his superior skills". "

Despite the terrifying lack of paragraph breaks, the article is a good
read: http://www.glidingmagazine.com/FeatureArticle.asp?id=23


Dan