Flew by a glider yesterday

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kujo806

Pre-takeoff checklist
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kujo806
So I was maybe 15nm east of KCID on flight following doing the usual visual scan when I noticed something soaring in and out of clouds to my 10 o'clock. At first I thought it was a bird, but then noticed it was a glider. He was maybe 1-2 miles away about 1000ft above me. I had received no heads up from CID. I radioed them to let them know that I had a glider in sight. They asked me what altitude it was and thanked me. I know that it is always the pilot's responsibility to watch for traffic, and luckily there was no issue here, but I was surprised that CID didn't seem to be aware of the glider's presence. They have let me know of birds in my general location before. How could they not see the glider? Also, I don't think the glider should have been going in and out of clouds like that. I only noticed him as he popped out of a white fluffy one. I guess the experience reinforces the fact that you should always be aware of your surroundings and not count on FF too much.
 
Gliders still have to adhere to VFR cloud clearances. He may or may not (probably not) have had a transponder.
 
Bill Watson said:
Gliders often don't adhere to 500' below. Should but don't.
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Well, until you get up to cloud base to know what altitude the clouds are at, you do not know where 500ft below is. Except for your unreliable Mk-1 uncalibrated eyeball.

Most likely the glider did not have a transponder, not required, ATC radar can pick up the glider on raw radar, "skin paint". It's harder with the glass birds, but they can still get radar returns.
 
Keep in mind that under Flight Following, ATC is not required to provide separation to you and will not always call out traffic. Most controllers will but there is no requirement. So you are correct, you are responsible to “see and avoid” so being aware of your surroundings under FF is a good practice.
 
FWIW, many - maybe most - gliders have no turn and bank or turn coordinator information, so flying in the clouds can be exciting. It is interesting to be sucked up under a cloud to the point where one is in the clear but in an inverted bowl so that the horizon is obscured by clouds.
 
jnmeade said:
FWIW, many - maybe most - gliders have no turn and bank or turn coordinator information, so flying in the clouds can be exciting. It is interesting to be sucked up under a cloud to the point where one is in the clear but in an inverted bowl so that the horizon is obscured by clouds.
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Been there! That one extra turn in the thermal was one turn too many!
Then diving at Vno to get out from under the cloud.
 
Twin_Flyer said:
Keep in mind that under Flight Following, ATC is not required to provide separation to you and will not always call out traffic. Most controllers will but there is no requirement. So you are correct, you are responsible to “see and avoid” so being aware of your surroundings under FF is a good practice.
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Same for IFR aircraft in VMC (VFR) conditions, need to "see and avoid".
 
On the way back from OSH on IFR flight plan controller advised I was passing a glider port on my left with glider activity .did see two gliders when we where in and out of the clouds.not very reassuring.
 
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