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Old 14th Nov 2008, 12:36
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Well, the potholes argument applies to outlandings too. Something glider pilots do not have a problem with.

Anyway, you'll find that most power pilots have not given a second thought to glider operations, and won't realize something about glider operations, even if it is bloody obvious if you think about it.

Most power pilots will therefore expect a glider that just landed on the runway, to vacate at the earliest opportunity, like all powered aircraft do. They'll be very surprised to see the hood open on the runway, the pilot get out and attempt to move his glider off the runway manually.

In a busy power circuit, spacing is timed so that nr. 2 is on short final just as nr. 1 vacates. A glider in the circuit is fine. It behaves more or less like a powered aircraft. But if it doesn't vacate the runway as quickly as a powered aircraft, it screws up the spacing, forcing go-arounds and such. Unlike glider ops, the runway in power ops is always for the exclusive use of one aircraft at a time. Runway occupied means go-around.

If you ever have to land at the runway which is normally used for power traffic, and there are aircraft in the circuit, may I suggest you contact the tower/info/radio beforehand and ask them to have a few helping hands standby to help you vacate the runway ASAP? I know gliders are a bitch to handle on the ground solo, particularly if there's a bit of wind, but one extra person to hold a wingtip makes it easy.
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