jb92563 wrote:
>> As I think about it, it might be best if there was a single array of
>> high output LEDs. <Details snipped...>
>>
>> Other thoughts?
>
> People will misunderstand lights just as easily as a rudder waggle.
>
> Its a training issue and they just need to know what the signal means
> by practice.
>
> <Details snipped...>
>
> Lights fail, radios fail, tow plane electircal systems fail and a Wag
> or a Rock will still communicate with a glider on tow.
>
> The signal system works just fine, its just that the receivers of the
> signal are learning something new to them and sometimes
> mistakes are made.
>
> We should start a thread on Pilot Mistakes, and you can be sure there
> will be 1000 hr pilots making entires there as well.
>
> Ray
Panacea fixes...what a panacea it would be if a few of them actually
worked. (WARNING: Dry humor nearby.)
Some pertinent realities...
- Perfection is never an option.
- Panacea fixes aren't.
- Thought processes matter.
- Training is good, too.
Here's a thought process that has worked for me...so far. Being fairly
simple-minded, I struggle with remembering rules for rules' sake. I
compensate by a reasonably decent ability to remember WHY certain
rules/guidelines/suggestions exist...and I seek to prioritize things I
DO remember. (I care little about remembering trivia; I care a LOT
about remembering 'im****tant stuff.')
Here's a couple of soaring examples:
1) Visual tow signals (work all the time, unless being towed in
[*really*] hard IFR) - In life and death terms, a strong argument can be
made that only one need be remembered, the wing-rock signal. None of
the others are indicative of (immediately) life-threatening (to you or
the tuggie) situations.
Can't remember what a rudder waggle (or any other
arcane/new/untrained-for/yet-to-be-devised) signal is for? No problem!
It's NOT the dreaded wing-rock...so no precipitate action is
necessary. Heck, you could even turn on the radio and ask, if your
Embarrassment Quotient hasn't been exceeded on that particular tow.
2) Landing pattern mistakes - THE one boo-boo practically guaranteed to
kill you in a landing pattern is the inadvertent stall/spin. I deal
with that not by trying to remember all of the books'-worth of advice
out there (mostly useful and sensible and germane), but by a
combinatorial thought approach: a) Kid(s) - don't DO that (i.e. the
inadvertent uncoordinated pattern stall)!!! b) Pay attention to Rule a).
Everything else rule-based falls out in the wash...requisite pattern
speed, requisite pattern coordination, requisite pattern pattern, etc...
3) Soaring-in-general - Soaring is real safe as long as you don't hit
anything (hidden assumption...that you don't want to hit).
For what it's worth, I can't recall learning any of the above from any
of my (generally excellent) instructors (and the comment is not intended
to be in any way derogatory or condescending). Nevertheless, I'm happy
with the (36-year) results-to-date. I did yank off on my (sole)
wing-rock received. I haven't inadvertently stalled in the pattern. I
haven't inadvertently hit anything I wasn't already intentionally aiming
at.
Nor have I (yet) seen a rudder waggle...but if I DO see one, I'm pretty
certain I'm not going to yank off for mis-interpretational reasons...
Respectfully,
Bob - VRAM-limited - W.
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