On Fri, Apr 20, 2012 at 09:31:21AM +1000, Christopher Mc Donnell wrote: > http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2012/04/20/teenage-pilots-quick-response-avoids-collision/
The actual ATSB report referenced by the article is here: http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/3548648/ab-2012-019.pdf#page=47 I'm sure there's a lot of room for interpretation here (i.e., concerning whether a CAR166C broadcast is strictly required if the glider pilot doesn't believe "it is necessary to do so to avoid a collision, or the risk of a collision with another aircraft.") The differing guidance between the competition rules, GFA rules and CASA rules about which frequency should be used and when broadcasts should be made is also up for discussion. But one thing worth hilighting is that I think CASA and GFA have diverged in their focus on radio of late. My experience of GFA's training concerning radio is that it emphasised minimizing radio chatter in favor of focussing on flying the aeroplane and looking out. Meanwhile CASA's training of GA pilots has emphasised more promiscuous use of the radio, leading to glider pilots making snarky comments about GA pilots spending all their time talking instead of looking where they're going. I think glider pilot radio training has probably varied quite a bit from club to club too -- which is, itself, a problem. Over the last couple of years, CASA has shifted from "see and avoid" to "radio assisted see and avoid" to "see and avoid alerted by mandatory radio calls." The CTAF rules published last year are the latest step in that evolution. I don't think a lot of glider pilots have kept up with those changes. Moreover, glider pilots trained more than a few years ago who haven't updated their skills are now probably using radio very differently to other airspace users, even if it is consistent with the way they were trained. (have you read the latest version of the GFA radio operators handbook? It's probably different from the one you were trained against. I'd include a link, but GFA's website seems to be down at the moment...) - mark _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
