http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=21474
fatal accident in Israel
Fred Wilson - 2012/02/08 15:32:33 UTC
Vernon, British Columbia
1. I failed to hook in once.
That wasn't the problem, Fred.
- The problem was that you failed to CHECK that you were hooked in BEFORE you launched.
- The REASON that you failed to CHECK that you were hooked in BEFORE you launched was that you NEVER CHECK that you're hooked in BEFORE you launch.
- The reason that you NEVER CHECK that you're hooked in BEFORE you launch is that you're an idiot.
Managed to release over a flat area seconds later.
Who cares? What were you doing seconds BEFORE?
As long as I live, I will tell you I will never, ever repeat the experience.
And the more sincerely you believe that the greater the chances that you will.
Nothing can explain the shock that hits your system.
Doesn't seem to have been severe enough to get your wiring straightened out enough to matter.
What awed me was that my brain was operating at 200%.
Yeah, that must've been incredible. From two percent to two hundred in the space of a couple of seconds. Then back down to two within a couple of seconds of getting safely back on the ground. Glad you got things stabilized so well.
I was thinking a mile a minute.
Astonishing that your thinking survived the forces of acceleration well enough to return to normal afterwards.
It would take me a lifetime to write down all the options my mind went though in those few brief seconds.
In those few brief seconds - or in any of the years which followed - did any option go through your mind for what you might have done differently in the two second prior to launch? Just kidding.
Our Israeli compatriot went down fighting for his life, right to the last second.
Who cares? Why aren't we talking about what he DIDN'T do JUST PRIOR TO LAUNCH which would've allowed him to have a fun flight that afternoon and for many subsequent ones over the years instead of what righteous stuff he was exhibiting AFTER this last of many pooch screws?
Bless his soul.
Yeah. He's undoubtedly in better place now. And he died doing what he loved.
2. As a wireman, I was ripped up off the cliff launch at Swansea circa 1979.
Graydon Tronquilla suicided his glider and himself by climbing onto the side wires and doing an instant 180 back onto the launch surface.
I am alive today, only thanks to him. Brilliant thinking, instantaneous reaction and action.
Mind working double time to save a friend saved both our lives.
So would a mind working very slowly prior to that launch possibly conclude that it might be a good idea for the crew to be tied in? Maybe the glider would've finished the day in better shape if it had.
3. The human brain is one awesome thing when it really kicks into gear.
Yeah. Think what it could accomplish if it were in gear during the times people WEREN'T dangling from basetubes and sidewires.
Start your day off right, with a good cup of coffee and a solid breakfast.
Fer sure!
"Well, I SHOULD do a hook-in check... But I started my day off right, with a good cup of coffee and a solid breakfast! NO WAY I could've forgotten to hook in or forgotten that I unhooked after starting my day off right, with a good cup of coffee and a solid breakfast!"
Those precious blasts of nutrients and energy may come in very, very handy.
DUDE!!! ABSOLUTELY!!! You should be able to swing yourself back up into the control frame like an Olympic gymnast!
Me... I try to do stuff in the setup area and on the ramp such that I won't need those precious blasts of nutrients and energy to come in very, very handy.
4. Establish a routine on launch. Never ever break your routine. Treat it like religion.
- Yeah. Establish a routine on launch. Never ever break your routine. Treat it like religion. Aussie Methodism comes immediately to mind. And once you've established it - regardless of how fucking moronic your religion is - never violate it or listen to anyone who says anything that actually makes sense. The important thing is that you have a religion. And if he keeps on saying it have Jack send it to The Basement. And if he keeps on saying it down there you can rest assured that Jack will ban him.
- And because of your discipline, sincerity, and moral purity you should never hafta worry about doing anything as part of your launch sequence that verifies you're hooked in. Just stick to your routines and run off the cliff whenever you feel ready.
The Peter Luke Setup Procedure. (Mentor.)
- I don't know anything about Peter Luke but if he was your mentor he's a moron too.
- This issue doesn't have shit to do with SETUP - or PREFLIGHT - procedures. This is a LAUNCH SEQUENCE issue.
If someone wants to chat, explain why they are going to wait a minute.
- Yep, he'll hafta wait a minute for you to finish your preflight procedures so you can be confident you're hooked in when you start your launch run. After that y'all can chat all you want because you'll have all the important boxes checked and can relax.
- He can come over and chat with me all he feels like 'cause he'd need an assault rifle to get me to run off the ramp with out tightening my suspension the second before. And that's about the only assembly issue that matters much when the glider's together enough to move it to launch position.
Yeah, Ricky's about as good as they come!
- Do a hang check and ask your nose launcher to see if all lines and straps are clear and check the carabiner is properly locked shut.
- Check your helmet 'cause it would be catastrophic if it weren't buckled.
- Look over the glider again 'cause you just can't preflight it too many times. And if you see anything wrong then fix it! Oh yeah, meant to check the wing camera angle. Maybe tap that undersurface batten in a bit more while I'm at it. Helmet and gloves back on... Now where was I? Oh yeah...
- Check for traffic out in front of launch... NOTHING is worse than to take off in the path of another glider! That's gotta be the Number One killer in our sport - and SO EASILY prevented. Nope - looks good. And look at how fast Bill's going up there over to the right! Looks like it's really starting to happen! Oops, forgot to switch the vario on. Set the altimeter... There.
- Then brief your crew and tell them what your takeoff procedure will be. Let them know that you'll be going off the FRONT of the ramp with your nose FORWARD and wings LEVEL and your word will be "Saxophone!" No "Clear!" Yeah, that's the right one. Wouldn't want any confusion on that.
- Then find out which way your nose launcher is gonna duck so you can run to the other side when you launch. "Oh! Sorry, I thought you meant MY left!" Make sure everybody's straight on this one.
- And then just check the ribbons, yell "Clear!", and run off the ramp. No way you need to worry about whether or not you're connected to your glider at this point 'cause that was the very first thing you took care of and verified when you got to the back of the ramp.
Ever notice how all these assholes just keep reinforcing each other's stupidity?
Very sad. Even as a new hg pilot, I feel a great loss any time I hear of a fellow pilot seriously injured or killed in pursuit of this passion.
