Glider mid air over Lasham

[Census boy]

Two gliders crashed yesterday(Thursday 4th) after a mid air collision over Lasham. Both pilots sucessfully baled out.

[RichyRich]

Saw the item on BBC news last night. Glad they both ok, and equally glad the gliders didn't land on anyone (like me - I live in Alton :ouch: ).

My girlfriend says they parachuted out. Is it standard to wear a 'chute in a glider? Blissfully ignorant.

RR

[engineless john]

It's only mandatory if you are cloud flying, but most people wear them for this very reason.

Cheers
John

[Census boy]

As engineless John has said not mandatory unless cloud flying but sensible nevertheless when flying in close proximity to other gliders. These two gliders which were from Dunstable and using Lasham as a turning point collided whilst in the same thermal at about 3000 feet fortunately giving them both time to get out.

[Rupert S]

It's a miracle they survived. Any major injuries?

[bletchleytugie]

Any other damage: Just an overall increase in our insurance premiums - thats the second mid air in a month, fortunatly no one died in either. Mid-airs, busting TRAs and numerous infringmenents of controlled airspace this summer, we in the gliding community really need to get a grip.:sad:

[chrisN]

bletchleytugie said [snip] Mid-airs, busting TRAs and numerous infringmenents of controlled airspace this summer, we in the gliding community really need to get a grip.
--------------------------
Some of we in the gliding community are doing something to get a grip. The BGA has set up a working group to address various issues. A "how to do it" has been prepared to get NOTAM data more easily, and will be on the BGA website soon. A drive will be undertaken to ensure that all gliding clubs are getting NOTAMs and make sure they are available to pilots. We have an active regime of Regional Safety Officers who visit every gliding club on about a two-year cycle and check that NOTAMs, inter alia, are available to all pilots. Of course, the rest of you have similar checks at every farm strip and club, don't you. Don't you?

The Red Arrows foul up was caused by one glider, one microlite, two spam cans, and a flock of birds. We are trying to do our bit - are the rest of you ensuring that every farm strip, flying club, and microlite site are doing theirs, before you all flame us? (Dunno who is taking on the birds.)

How do you know of numerous infringements (presumably you mean by gliders) of controlled airspace this summer? There were lots round Luton and Stansted during the PFA rally at Cranfield - but they were by spamcans, not gliders.

Virtually every glider in a competition has to produce a 3D GPS trace of the flight for scrutiny and penalties are imposed for airspace infringements. Do you have anything like that in the power world?

One of the most experienced scrutineers posted recently that he had looked at literally thousands of traces, found relatively few infringements, all but one very minor and apparently inadvertent (e.g. leaving one thermal at the base of an airway, diving away, and entering another thermal unexpectedly which kicks one up into the airspace by a small margin, to be instantly corrected. The one exception was by somebody who got lost - don't tell me that is unique to glider pilots.

My club had a pilot some years ago who deliberately went into some controlled airspace. We found out and grounded him for three months, then made him go through the entire pre-solo flight training regime again. We don't often get repeat offenders. Do you all do that in the power world? Any of you? What, not even one? Ho hum.

I read all the airprox reports. A few in every issue involve GA pilots ignoring hazards on the charts, e.g. winch launching gliding sites. I can't remember the last time I saw one where a glider pilot was so blamed - I don't say there are none, but they are heavily outnumbered by the spamcans. If you have numerical evidence to the contrary, please tell me - I will use it as ammunition in the drive to improve the situation regarding gliding.

Who is doing the same for power flying?

Chris N.

[Evo]

Who is doing the same for power flying?

www.flyontrack.co.uk ?

[chrisN]

It's news to me that the flyontrack people, or anyone they are dealing with, are going to systematically visit every power flying site and see that they have accurate NOTAM data, do spot checks on individual pilots to see if they have checked the listing, have a drive now to see that all those sites are looking at their procedures, etc. to mirror what the BGA started some time ago with gliding sites and is redoubling efforts in the wake of recent events.

Chris N.

[Evo]

Oh OK, I misunderstood your posting then - I figured that "Who is doing the same for power flying?" applied to "Some of we in the gliding community are doing something to get a grip". It wasn't very clear... :)

[Final 3 Greens]

ChrisN

I can't see anyone outside your community attacking you.

Your hysterical rant about the powered flying commuty makes me believe that you denieth too much.

[Harbour Rat]

>>Mid-airs, busting TRAs and numerous infringmenents of controlled airspace this summer, we in the gliding community really need to get a grip<<

.....and the RAF want to move even more gliders into Halton from Bicester. Watch out ladies and gents....it's turning into indian country near Henton! <Political incorrectness unintentional!>

[bluskis]

You mean with lots of Cherokees, Commanchees, Navahos,Aztecs and Warriors sharing the airspace?

Lets hope Hawkeye is amongst the pilots.

[tmmorris]

Sorry, as a gliding virgin...

What is 'cloud flying' when applied to gliders? Surely not in IMC?

Tim

[chrisN]

Tim, yes, gliders can fly in cloud, i.e. IMC. It is not done a great deal AFAIK, but it does happen. Cumulus clouds are formed by thermals, and when they are fairly deep it is possible to continue climbing in the thermal up to and above cloudbase.

There can be other circumstances too, but that is the most common instance in the south east of England for any cloud flying that is done.

The pilot should have appropriate training, and the glider should have suitable instruments (which can be a partial panel, i.e. turn and slip but not necessarily artificial horizon). It is tending to go out of fashion with modern slippery gliders because an unintended departure from level flight with those can rapidly develope into a dive which exceeds VNE. Older, more draggy, gliders are more manageable in cloud.

It does not require a special licence - the exemptions are in the ANO - and the CAA are apparently happy about it because it is not a significant cause of accidents or incidents - not zero, but not enough to cause undue concern and far fewer than the other ways power and glider pilots find to have accidents.

Chris N.