I can sympathise with what you are saying Pace. After all, until last week I hadn't flown a glider for nearly 20 years, and have done the IMC ... so I'm not just seeing it from the glider viewpoint. However, despite your near miss, I still think that you cannot expect a huge level of controlled separation outside CAS. There are no garauntees after all, and no implication of separation even between transponder equipped IFR craft (Not all TCAS are equal, even if you are so equipped).
Shortstripper
I have flown for 20 years and 4000 plus hours without a close glider encounter especially one in IMC.
Maybe a case of lighning not striking twice. I was tempted just to forget it but posted here and put in a report more to highlight the threat.
I am not saying it was the gliders fault or mine but probably a freak situation which happened.
Neither of us took evasive action and it could have equally been another light aircraft. It Just happened to be a Glider.
99% of glider sightings have been under the clouds. I have only ever seen a handful above and feel pretty secure in serious IMC or above clouds.
Would a powered aircraft be allowed to fly in clouds with the equiptment levels of a glider or the instrument training of the glider pilot?
Powered aircraft tend to fly levels to avoid meeting each other and travel in a straight line. Gliders dont and cant ! Could anything be done to improve that situation or do gliders live on grandfather privalages from times long past? its a tricky call.
A RAS does give a certain extra level of protection. The limited hours of Brize now removes a vital service covering a large area of UAS and that has to increase the risk of collision not just with gliders?
Pace