C208 and Paraglider midair 12/21/21

Loss of life is tragic. Having said that, it was a CAVU day. This is also a good lesson in the need to look out the windscreen. No idea who is or isn't at fault, but the Paraglider was legally in Class E airspace. At the moment, Part 103 are not allowed to have transponders nor ADSB.
Yep, and chances are that the paraglider wasn't moving THAT fast and should've been visible out the nose of the 208.
 
Yep, and chances are that the paraglider wasn't moving THAT fast and should've been visible out the nose of the 208.

Given that ultralights (including paragliders) are VFR only, yeppers.
 
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Yep, and chances are that the paraglider wasn't moving THAT fast and should've been visible out the nose of the 208.

yes, but what happens if you’re on an ifr flight plan and receive further instructions from ATC. Your head goes back in the cockpit to twist knobs, jot down clearance, etc.
The closure rate at 160+kts happens quick. An audible or visual warning in the cockpit may have changed the outcome.
 
yes, but what happens if you’re on an ifr flight plan and receive further instructions from ATC. Your head goes back in the cockpit to twist knobs, jot down clearance, etc.
The closure rate at 160+kts happens quick. An audible or visual warning in the cockpit may have changed the outcome.
What if you are in IMC and you get an instruction? Do you skip your scan because you are twisting knobs or writing a clearance?
 
What if you are in IMC and you get an instruction? Do you skip your scan because you are twisting knobs or writing a clearance?

yes, but you hear “Traffic, 1 mile, 12 o’clock”
 
yes, but you hear “Traffic, 1 mile, 12 o’clock”
Not my point at all. You suggested that being IFR in VMC meant you did not have to look out the window because you were writing an instruction. My point was you have to divide your attention between your instrument scan and writing or knob turning in IMC or you can easily get off attitude, altitude or heading. In VMC it's certainly possible to look out the window every few seconds while turning knobs.
 
Yes I know but you rarely see them at "any" airport. And 103.17 does place the restriction of needing ATC permission in controlled airspace. I have seen them at some non towered fields and of course at their smaller ultralight fields.

That was my point; even though they're allowed most ultralighters don't want to fly at the busier airports where ATC permission is required. Making ADS-B available, or even required, for ultralights won't change that.

Most of the airports I frequent have one or two ultralights based there. But then I don't want to fly at the busier airports, either.

At my home field (SNC) a NORDO Cub is welcome, but ultralights based there are required to have and use a radio to talk on CTAF.
 
Not my point at all. You suggested that being IFR in VMC meant you did not have to look out the window because you were writing an instruction. My point was you have to divide your attention between your instrument scan and writing or knob turning in IMC or you can easily get off attitude, altitude or heading. In VMC it's certainly possible to look out the window every few seconds while turning knobs.

Do we know if the paraglider also watching for oncoming traffic?
 
At my home field (SNC) a NORDO Cub is welcome, but ultralights based there are required to have and use a radio to talk on CTAF.

What is the rationale behind that policy? Why not require the Cub to have a radio as well?
 
And while we are at it, eliminate NORDO! Let’s do it!!
You can’t eliminate radio failures. That’s why I think it’s a good thing there are aircraft out there without radios. We should all be assuming they are out there all the time.
 
You can’t eliminate radio failures. That’s why I think it’s a good thing there are aircraft out there without radios. We should all be assuming they are out there all the time.
You do realize that my post was mostly tongue in cheek, right? No? I thought I used enough emoticons this time.
 
What is the rationale behind that policy? Why not require the Cub to have a radio as well?

I suspect the reason is that an ultralight pilot with a radio may be a little more serious about his flying and have better situational awareness, unlike the marginally trained yahoo who knows nothing about airport operations and cares less. There aren't many of the latter today but they tainted the perception of ultralights in the old days, and that perception still exists.
 
Yep, and chances are that the paraglider wasn't moving THAT fast and should've been visible out the nose of the 208.

Wouldn't that have made it even harder to see due to lack of relative motion?
 
Wouldn't that have made it even harder to see due to lack of relative motion?
What’s harder to see, a pelican or a motorglider? Gliders and motorgliders are definitely harder to spot from head on or directly behind as opposed to crossing paths due to their relatively slim cross-sections, but none of that is the same as a Lancair head-on at three times the closing rate, so it’s still see and avoid.
 
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