Glider down- Beachy head
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I was listening to 121.5 earlier in the cruise. 2 aircraft were in the area communicating with London Centre and the coastguard were dispatched. Hopefully all is ok!
Two men were winched to safety from the glider by the Coastguard helicopter and were taken to the top of Beachy Head. The Coastguard said they did not require medical treatment. Ashley added: “Luckily both glider occupants were unscathed and did not spend long in the sea. I would encourage all general aviation pilots to adopt such airmanship and observe and report incidents via the correct means, (via the Distress & Diversion Cell).”
Source: Eastbourneherald (I can't post url's yet)
No info on how or why but good to see both safe.
Source: Eastbourneherald (I can't post url's yet)
No info on how or why but good to see both safe.
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Listened to the extremely helpful light aircraft pilot on guard, orbiting and passing information toe D&D. Good that they got out.
What wasn't so good was th guard police telling him to shut up because he was on an emergency frequency....
What wasn't so good was th guard police telling him to shut up because he was on an emergency frequency....
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Agree, the pilot of G- HA (Redhill based?) did a wonderful job passing information to D & D on 121.50. I also heard the Guard Police transmit to the pilot that he was on Guard! I suppose their long flight Eastbound means they’ve left their brains and ears in the USA. The same happened a few years back when the German guy in a light twin ditched in the Channel (ran outa fuel I believe). Please Guard Police stop transmitting, you’re on Guard!
Agree, the pilot of G- HA (Redhill based?) did a wonderful job passing information to D & D on 121.50. I also heard the Guard Police transmit to the pilot that he was on Guard! I suppose their long flight Eastbound means they’ve left their brains and ears in the USA. The same happened a few years back when the German guy in a light twin ditched in the Channel (ran outa fuel I believe). Please Guard Police stop transmitting, you’re on Guard!
A mixture of fatigue after a long journey across the pond and looking for trouble from the usual suspects aloft; never a good combination of conditions in the cockpit.
One hopes they'll have a review of sorts (even if it's just a quick chat over a fag at the back of the hangar) and see the event in perspective, realising it was meet and right for the GA pilot to shout on the Guard frequency.
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Coastal Soaring
A musical selection for their Xmas do, perhaps? On the Beach, by Cliff?
Because it was rather windy, they thought that there would be some lift but they (two former CFIs?) did not understand the dynamics of coastal soaring, which is very different from inland soaring.
A musical selection for their Xmas do, perhaps? On the Beach, by Cliff?
A musical selection for their Xmas do, perhaps? On the Beach, by Cliff?
My guess is; they descended as you do, and then got caught up in gusty SW winds (very gusty) and lost it on the climb (too much behind, not enough warm), realised they were too low and the only sensible answer at that point was to go down and park it in the surf at sea level.
Best thing to do...with a non powered machine.
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Yes indeed. There was an example of this last year if I remember correctly.
A mixture of fatigue after a long journey across the pond and looking for trouble from the usual suspects aloft; never a good combination of conditions in the cockpit.
One hopes they'll have a review of sorts (even if it's just a quick chat over a fag at the back of the hangar) and see the event in perspective, realising it was meet and right for the GA pilot to shout on the Guard frequency.
A mixture of fatigue after a long journey across the pond and looking for trouble from the usual suspects aloft; never a good combination of conditions in the cockpit.
One hopes they'll have a review of sorts (even if it's just a quick chat over a fag at the back of the hangar) and see the event in perspective, realising it was meet and right for the GA pilot to shout on the Guard frequency.
i then stayed in positioning orbiting and relaying sitrep back to the authorities until my fuel situation dictated that I had to return to Redhill. I believe another aircraft was by this time in position to assist
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For the record I was the pilot flying G-HA yesterday. I initially called the incident into Farnborough Radar, who then asked me to call it in to D&D on 121.5
i then stayed in positioning orbiting and relaying sitrep back to the authorities until my fuel situation dictated that I had to return to Redhill. I believe another aircraft was by this time in position to assist
Very well done to you and to the London guys, coastguard etc. Pleased to hear of a positive outcome for the poor sods who ended up in the drink.
The chap berating you for being on guard should take a look at themselves.
Notwithstanding the TAFs and what may have been happening elsewhere in the UK, the METARS show that at Shoreham (20 miles west of Beachy Head) the surface winds were light easterly all afternoon. They. had been light south easterly in the morning. If this was representative of conditions at Beachy Head then the chances of successfully soaring the cliffs would have been minimal.
I suspect that if the crew of the glider had been aware of this they would not even have bothered to take off. They would have needed to motor much of the way to and from Beachy Head.
I suspect that if the crew of the glider had been aware of this they would not even have bothered to take off. They would have needed to motor much of the way to and from Beachy Head.
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Parham. ( Southdown Gliding Club ) They were apparently soaring the Beachy Head cliffs and ( for once ) 'ran out of breeze', probably as it backed more easterly than southerly.
From cliff top height one only has a little time to get the auxiliary running and that requires diving to get the fan spinning. If it doesn't run then into the drink you go!
Ditching a sailplane is pretty much a non-event apart from some types noting a nose 'submarine' to as much as 2m below the surface once it settles. In some competitions in Scandinavia a lake may be the only place to go if you cock up the day, far preferable to the treetops!
From cliff top height one only has a little time to get the auxiliary running and that requires diving to get the fan spinning. If it doesn't run then into the drink you go!
Ditching a sailplane is pretty much a non-event apart from some types noting a nose 'submarine' to as much as 2m below the surface once it settles. In some competitions in Scandinavia a lake may be the only place to go if you cock up the day, far preferable to the treetops!
