At 10:48 AM 23/03/2012, you wrote:
The difference in standards comes from a couple of reasons.
The first is that most of the radios we use were designed with the
assumption that a good supply of reliable power was available from
the alternator, and probably little design attention was paid to
transmit performance with depleted batteries running through old
wiring and dicky fuses.
We may have got a "reading you 5" from the glider next to us in the
morning with a fully charged battery but it doesn't mean much in the
circuit after a 5 hour flight.
The second is that a glider radio is less useful for situational
awareness than the radio in a powered aircraft, because powered
aircraft tracks and particularly altitudes are far more
predictable. Also, we don't chat to ATC much. So in fact, a radio
in a glider is less useful and less used for official communication,
and so less respected, maintained, etc....
Then there are an increasing number of pilots who use their radios
like mobile phones. I just switch off when those idiots start. It
improves my safety because I can hear myself think.
Cheers
Tim
Tim,
I agree about the distraction of radio in flight on a glider cross
country (or powered aircraft for that matter most of the time) but it
is useful in the circuit and around the airfield as an aid to
situational awareness.
In the emergency situation we're talking about there seems to be a
need for communication as shown by the semaphore procedure so maybe
it ought to be the best and least intrusive communication possible?
An alternative would be to agree on the maximum release height with
the tug pilot before takeoff on the understanding that on reaching
that +500 feet the tuggie will head over the top of the field and
release his end? No airborne comms required. Best to go into/be
in high tow though.
Don't forget also the recent radio use changes at registered and
licensed airfields. You are expected to carry a working radio and use
it. We might not talk to ATC much but there are people in powered
aircraft who may use the field and if one calls and you detect a
conflict you are expected to answer. Gliding doesn't operate in isolation.
I'm afraid the no radio days are gone.
Mike
Borgelt Instruments - design & manufacture of quality soaring
instrumentation since 1978
www.borgeltinstruments.com
tel: 07 4635 5784 overseas: int+61-7-4635 5784
mob: 042835 5784 : int+61-42835 5784
P O Box 4607, Toowoomba East, QLD 4350, Australia
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