gpn01 - you start to raise an interesting point. Specifically how far gliders go from a recognised gliding site. Dont get me wrong as far as I am concerned the air is for all of us. But as I understand it many glider pilots are allowed to enter IMC and often do to benefit from the thermal properties within them. Now I often take care to avoid or be very alert at / over / near recognised glider sites BUT get quite nervous when they move much further away and use clouds without any requirement for transponder or radio. Whilst I accept this is perfectly legal it makes me feel un-comfortable. Not least because I had a "scare" when a glider popped out of some cloud well away from any gliding sites. See and Avoid would have been useless at the closings speeds we were at, but luckily there were far enough away. Now my question is how many of the longer range gliders will carry radios / transponders? As someone previously stated gliders will often not paint on radar - are they required to carry radar reflectors?
Also what are glider pilots taught wrt to radio frequencies - I know they will use the glider frequency when at know sites or in groups but what about trundling across the country? I would hope that they use FIS / RIS etc when possible?
Sorry for my ignorance about gliders in advance...