There is the question about the wisdom of the person who set the task so close to the RA(T), I guess that NONE of the competitors thought (or dared) to raise the question at the briefing as to why the route had to take them so close. At least 50% ofthe competitors did not even know it was a RA(T).
It is stated on another forum that the route chosen was to suit the weather, which was quite unsoarable from the other Bicester start points. All pilots should be Silver badge holders, they should know not to just follow a line on track ignoring all airspace in the way.
With a rapidly changing weather situation the intention was presumably to get the gliders in the air ASAP. All of them could have waited before starting, or the director could have delayed the launch.
There is no single person to blame here. Seems a classic "holes in the cheese" situation:
- pressure to get the gliders launched in an awkward day
- task changed at last minute
- pilots forced to launch or lose their space in the launch grid
- weather south of track not condusive to soaring
- insufficient prominence attributed to the RA(T) in the brief
- director expecting gliders to route south of track line
- perhaps, no checking of NOTAMs by competitors 'as the directors would brief us of everything'
- pilots under pressure flying in a competition, perhaps for the first time
- pilots not familiar with the area features (is that Buckingham or .. ?)
- difficulty in referencing 6nm from Silverstone on a half mil map
- tendency for pilots to follow the 'gaggle' and think that 'if he's doing it it must be OK'