Sail Plane
Flight Crew Glider; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 4; Flight Crew Total 310; Flight Crew Type 54
Situational Awareness
Conflict Airborne Conflict
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Aircraft; Airspace Structure; Human Factors; Weather
Solo glider flight... no transponder; not monitoring approach frequency. While ascending in a thermal; passing through 3;000 MSL; as I turned (in a left-hand circle) to a heading roughly SW; observed an airliner (most likely Airbus 320; but not positive) converging almost head-on; descending out of the clouds above from the S/SW. This aircraft was in a wings-level descent; and as I began to turn across its path; I saw that it was making no effort to check its descent or turn; so I immediately steepened my turn; deployed full spoilers; and descended to the NE as rapidly as possible (within safe limits). During this event; the distance between the two aircraft came within about 2;500-3;000 feet laterally (estimated). I have been flying gliders without transponders in this area for almost five years; and have certainly come fairly close to transport aircraft descending into the NYC Class B before; but in all cases; visual contact was made at a greater distance; and there was always evidence that the crew of the other aircraft had me in sight; or at least happened to be making a favorable change in course. On this occasion; I am quite certain that the crew of the other aircraft did not see me; at least not prior to my evasive maneuver. On this occasion; I first spotted the conflicting traffic when it first became visible from my position/altitude due to haze and clouds (it 'appeared' within my field of vision; well between me and horizon); so my visual scan was probably not a factor. The greater contributing factors were; in order of importance: lack of a transponder; no prior alert to NY TRACON that glider ops would take place in that area at that time (home base for glider club is not listed as a gliderport by FAA); and my not at least monitoring that ATC frequency to enhance awareness of transport flights descending to land within the NY Class B. Eliminating at least one of these variables on future flights should serve well to prevent another similar incident.
Glider pilot reports a conflict with an A320 at 3;000 feet SSW of SBJ. Evasive action is taken by the reporter to avoid a collision.