Are sailplanes (gliders) safe?
From FlightSim
Q:
Was just wondering if there were any people who fly gliders and what they thought of it regarding safety. I went a couple of times for the ride recently and always felt safe until we were flying in a thermal with like 5 other gliders. Obviously the pilot was quite relaxed and definitely in control but I was kinda freaking out with that many aircraft flying close to each other and not in formation on purpose. I guess my question is is flying gliders and flying in thermals with many gliders in the same thermal not nuts?
A:
Since I wasn't there, I can't tell you whether your specific situation was safe, but I can tell you that the scenario you describe isn't uncommon, and can be done safely, assuming all the pilots are watching as they should be, and that your pilot doesn't get too close under another sailplane, and that you enter the thermal well below the other aircraft.
Of course the size of the thermal and the types of sailplane have to be considered, also, since not all will climb at the same rate, even assuming the thermal is constant strength all the way up (unlikely -- many thermals, especially large ones, tend to get stronger as you get higher, until near the top).
Generally soaring is a pretty safe sport but, like many other human endeavors (driving, boating, power flying, crossing the street, football, etc.), carelessness can bite.
Curiously, sailplanes have more control for landing than power planes do. And you do have an engine in a sailplane -- gravity.
As far as control, with the spoilers typical in a sailplane, spot landing contests in sailplanes have the results measured in inches from the desired spot -- within 2-5 inches is not uncommon. Spot landing results in typical powered aircraft are measured in feet -- within 10 feet is very good, especially if you're not in still air -- turbulence, wind, etc. have their effects.
A typical light aircraft in a power off glide might be able to go as much as 10 feet forward for every foot of altitude lost (many jets do even better). A low performance sailplane might do 25-30 feet forward for every foot of altitude lost, and high performance ones can do twice that.
In other words, a typical light aircraft might glide around two miles from 1,000 feet above the ground, while a low performance sailplane might make 5-6 miles, and a high performance sailplane might get 10-12 miles.
So if you're towed to 3,000 AGL in a low performance sailplane, you could make an airport (disregarding traffic patterns) 15-20 miles away from your release point in still air. If there are thermals around (or ridge lift or mountain waves) you could stay up several hours. And (aside from tow costs) you don't pay a penny for fuel.
An airplane doesn't fly on its engine, it flies on wings, using forward speed to generate lift on the wings -- the engine just supplies energy to maintain altitude or climb. Thermals and other lifting effects in the atmosphere do the same for the sailplane after tow.
Fear of flying (and many other things) is often (not always) caused by a lack of understanding. Perhaps the above will help some.
When you posted this I could not help but remember a story I read in Readers Digest several years ago. The story was about the sailplane pilot, below, who started out at day break from Williamsport, PA and returned just before dark that same day.
Edit: I said Williamport as it was written in the story, however the offical site says Lock Haven. I guess it's Lock Haven and I've been telling the story wrong for years.
National: Out and Return Distance - 15-Meter #345G
Leonard R.(Roy) McMaster 3/17/76
1298.87 km (807.14 sm)
Lock Haven, PA
Mendota, VA
Return
I believe it's a world's record that still stands today.
And you might note that the altitude record in a sailplane is over 46,000 feet, the main limitation being that even 100 percent oxygen without pressurization above that realm can lead to hypoxia and worse. Sailplane flights to the jet altitudes are fairly common (not quite daily, though) in certain mountain areas such as the Rockies and the Sierras. Mountain waves make it relatively easy, since their effects sometimes go well above 50,000 feet.
I have done it many times. Went solo in a glider about 15 years ago and have flown lots of flights in thermals with many many other gliders. Provided you stick to the "rules", and you keep a sharp eye out around you and especially ABOVE you (so as not to climb up and hit another glider higher than you), you are perfectly safe. One needs to remember that in a glider you cannot see BELOW you (to see another glider coming up to hit you). So, as you thermal, if you keep that in mind and therefore reailise that the guy above you can't see you, then everybody in that thermal will do fine.
One of the rules is that if your glider is climbing better than the guy above you (ie, your glider might be a higher performance glider or you are just thermalling better), then YOU are the one who must give way. And, depending on the circumstances, YOU are required to exit that thermal if there is a chance that you could collide with the glider above you. I have had to exit thermals many times. It can be frustrating (after all, you WANT to be in thermals), but it keeps everyone safe.
I did check out the FAI site. They had the Steve Fossett flight listed as 15,460 m, somewhat higher than 12,637m.
Absolute altitude : 15 460 m
Date of flight: 29/08/2006
Pilot: Steve FOSSETT (USA)
Crew: Einar ENEVOLDSON (USA)
Course/place: El Calafate (Argentina)
Glider: Glaser-Dirks DG-505
Registered 'N577SF'
