At 07:31 PM 9/06/05 +1000, you wrote:
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>I had a close call in a thermal recently with another glider and the other
>pilot was really aggressive in his entry. We nearly touched. I don�t even
>know if he saw me. I know it�s not an accident but is it an incident? I
>know that we fly close a lot, but this was close!! The other pilot is a
>good bloke and a respected comps pilot but other pilots have said they have
>had similar experiences. I can�t see a way from the GFA web-site about what
>to do and I�m worried about dropping him in to the CFI (he�s been around
>for a while and I�m only starting and want to stay for a long time!!). But
>what happens then? If it was a prang, I�d hear about it at a seminar a
>while later (or the wrong version of events over a beer at the club!!), but
>that doesn�t help me when I going flying again and the other pilot is
>around!! I don�t feel qualified to talk to the other pilot myself, but
>what happened was wrong I reckon. What do I do
Why don't you just tell us what you saw happening? That way it will at
least get to the people here and won't get lost in the "system" and
regurgitated in unrecognisable form at some safety seminar attended by a
few people. Might even save someone's life this weekend.
There isn't mostly a seeing vision problem but a looking problem and a
perception problem. Joining another glider in a thermal is actually quite a
difficult task and mostly isn't ever taught. People just eventually have to
do it. Some don't seem to get the hang of it and just aim at the other
glider. I've left thermals on account of people like this.
As for what to do with the other pilot you could do what a friend of mine
did at a Nationals quite a while ago when one OS pilot had tried to kill
him a couple of times. He sought out the gentleman on the ground and told
him that if it happened again my friend would get a gun and shoot the
offender and claim self defence. The offending behaviour ceased.
BTW, when I learned to fly gliders nearly 40 years ago it was GFA policy
that gliders should not get closer to each other than 200 feet in all
directions. Still seems like a good guide to me.
Mike
Borgelt Instruments - manufacturers of quality soaring instruments
phone Int'l + 61 746 355784
fax Int'l + 61 746 358796
cellphone Int'l + 61 428 355784
Int'l + 61 429 355784
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
website: www.borgeltinstruments.com
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