Installation of an additional PDA or Logger
During one of the past World Gliding Championships when all pilots installed PDA's in their cockpits, one recognised with fear that quite often the PDA was mounted in the main field of view and hence extremely hindered the view outside of the cockpit to see the surrounding planes. Due to that circumstance an urgent recommendation was released, that PDA's have to be mounted on the side of the cockpit and below the main field of view. Which of course should be self-evident.
But we accentuate the need for the correct operation of the canopy release in an emergency case!
For that matter, the required cables for the PDA must not interfere in the separation process of the canopy from the glider.
The cables may keep the canopy close to the glider which makes it impossible for the pilot to exit the aircraft in an emergency case.
This situation was not observed as you can read it in the following accident report from UK.
Accident-Report-PDA.pdf
Obviously, some pilots do not care about the consequences that may arise from the installation of an PDA in the cockpit.
Laymen mount heavy PDA's and Logger systems onto the canopy's frame without considering the consequences in an emergency case. Predetermined breaking points for the cables in case of a jettison of the canopy?? Nil return!
It is easy traceable that even a small error can cause fatal injuries.
The pictures below depict our way of installing a PDA into a cockpit. The cables are mislaid under the floor from the instrument panel to the front of the canopy. Before the cables are mislaid further in the canopy's frame until the PDA, there is a predetermined break point installed to separate the cable connection if the canopy is jettisoned.
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In all cases:
A competent person should install the PDA and
leave the own installation undone if you are not sure.
