Re: Tom Knauff's newsletter

If you really want to help educate the pilots that need it, why not include

what the signals are in your post!

Mike Schumann

"Soarin Again" <shadowlift@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:6curekF3h20oaU1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> At 11:43 01 July 2008, Gary Emerson wrote:
> snips
>>Now, back to the original point.  There ARE some number of people who
>>have mis-understood the rudder wag signal.  Tom's solution is to blame
>>those people and he's mostly right.  I'm not saying that there aren't
>
>>plenty of people flying today who couldn't pass the FAA written right
>>now, but IF (big IF) a different signal could be developed that was LESS
>
>>prone to confusion with the rock off signal we might keep a couple of
>>people from at least cra****ng, if not dying.  IF the towpilot is giving
>>the rudder wag signal to someone, that gliderpilot is probably already
>>in a stressful situation because the tow isn't going well.  True, they
>>should be more prepared, but if a different signal could be developed
>>that helped, wouldn't we all be better off?
>
> Changing the signal, mandating radios, prohibiting tow pilots
> from giving the appropriate signal until pattern altitude?
> We only have 3 signals that the tow plane can give the glider
> while on tow and each signal is easily distinguished from the
> other.   Let's quit making excuses for pilots who simply don't
> consider it im****tant enough to bother to know the tow signals.
> Yes in many cases poor initial instruction and deficient flight
> reviews contributes to their poor attitude regarding the signals.
> But just ask anyone who routinely does field checks or flight
> reviews particularly for transient pilots and they can tell you
> how unim****tant many glider pilots consider the tow signals.
>
> If we want to reduce the accidents resulting from pilots not
> knowing (not misinterpreting) the rudder wag.  Examiners
> need to routinely include all of the signals on flight tests,
> instructors must always include all of the signals on tow
> during training and flight reviews, and finally glider pilots
> need to accept that they have a responsibility to know and
> practice the signals.  Otherwise are destined to continue seeing
> pilots release from tow rather than simply closing their spoilers.
>
> Does it seem strange to anyone else that apparently tow pilots
> don't seem to have the same confusion about what signal to give
> a spoiler open glider?
>
> This is a golden op****tunity for the Soaring Safety Foundation
> to actually impact the accident rate.  They should lobby to get
> all signals on tow incor****rated into a specific task in all of the
> Practical Test Standards for gliders.
>
> 


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