G the E wrote:
"It's a sad fact that about this time every year, the weather improves and everybody rushes out to get some time airborne (I was no different this weekend I must admit). With every recreational pilot in the country out in anything they can make fly, many of them a little rusty, unfortunately we do expect some accidents about now. Let's all however just be warned and try and make sure there aren't any more."
VP adds:
Here, here. The positive lesson for us all is to recognise that we just will not be as competent after the winter lay off. I chose to spend some time with an instructor recently, having not flown for a few months, and have to say that I am certain the expense was well justified. It certainly boosted my skills and confidence, which I suspect in itself has enhanced the time my brain can now devote to "thinking safety" when flying.
I have some sympathy for the risks glider pilots have to manage in order to remain airborne though. Some years ago, and despite my best endeavours, I virtually flew into the rear end of a buzzard when soaring. The reason? I was young, inexperienced, in a limited performance glider, concentrating on staying in a tight and exceedingly bumpy thermal and seriously worrying about the hot ship climbing up beneath me. The buzzards lookout was also poor, but was compensated for by the one attribute birds have that we can only aspire to; complete and total mastery of the air. It perhaps behoves us to remember that we are perhaps mere amateurs when it comes to aviating.
I'll add my condolences to this pilots family, but I am deeply heartened by the selfless actions of the Robin pilot in trying save a fellow pilots life.