GA1410

Flying with a student pilot in a glider at a joint para/GA and gliding airfield where long established procedures are designed to provide SA and traffic separation, particularly between aircraft and parachutes. Paras and gliders had agreed the day’s para/gliding separation procedure.

Cloud base around 1900′ AGL. At around 1300′ AGL preparing to fly towards and join the circuit (usually started at 800′ AGL), I heard the para-aeroplane call downwind to the runway I had in mind. Immediately I saw/heard a strong FLARM warning and looked up and right as warned. Saw the FLARM equipped para-aeroplane diving at speed out of cloud towards the downwind leg and now ‘very close’, so I turned left to increase separation. Good lesson for the (PPL holding) student glider pilot, somewhat disconcerting to me.

Later arranged to chat with the drop plane pilot. Pushback on that idea from the para operation, but the para pilot was of course happy to chat over a coffee. Discovered he is used to operating in a DZ within a DA, ie where there is no other traffic. ‘Difficult to know where to descend around here – lots of traffic or no-go areas’. No real awareness of gliding activity and not overly familiar with FLARM. On the other hand, it was interesting to learn about the challenges for drop plane pilots in relatively busy class G airspace. My offer to try gliding at my cost turned down.

But here’s the point; the discussion enabled a significant but not safety threatening (detected early enough) situation to be analysed by those involved, and several factors subsequently discussed within the gliding community on site at least (no idea if the same occurred in the para operation).

The final point here is that an individual with significant commercial interest in the para operation, who is not a pilot, is well known for [having] a shout first approach to any safety/risk related issues, including at times [remonstrating] with aeroplane and glider pilots who are about to go flying. Pilots need to be able to discuss and, if possible, resolve flying matters and then provide the facts to commercial or other managers who can in turn objectively consider issues in consultation with others. Shouting and confrontation does not sit well with flight safety and a just culture.

Speaking as an experienced glider and GA aeroplane pilot, the drop plane pilots at the site are generally impressive. [Therefore, my] assuming that all have the same level of local knowledge and local experience [was in hindsight] a mistake.