Pace,
You seem quite concerned about a threat that has never yet happened (that is a glider/power collision in IMC), do you worry about meteor showers as well? More seriously, In real life the amount of traffic in IMC above the TA and OCAS is pretty small, the real collision risks are in circuits, around approaches, in low narrow gaps around controlled airspace and below 1500 feet - (in VMC because that is when there are significant numbers of aircraft in the sky!) and in these circumstances there is nothing in the ANO Instrument Flying Rules that helps with collision avoidance. As a powered pilot, I don't need a transponder, am often talking with someone who couldn't see it anyhow (a FISO or an Approach Controller), and don't have a quadrantal to fly at (being below the TA). Being originally trained oversees, I have always found this regulatory structure uncomfortable, but it is life in the UK -
My experience of RIS is that on a poor day it is easy to get, as you are the only one on the frequency, on a nice day (with isolated cumulus a glider might be in) everyone is looking for a service and the LARS providers are going to struggle with a bunch of gliders making contact for a service (which Isn't going to make the controllers life better or his ability to provide a service to the powered community any more reliable - 'I am gliding at various altitudes and headings depending on how the lift is, not transponder equipped' - doesn't seem to be a very useful radio call - and from a glider's perspective telling ATC he is IMC or VMC doesn't really matter as the stats say he has a chance of being hit VMC but never yet been hit IMC).
Last edited by mm_flynn; 2nd Sep 2008 at 21:55.