Collisions with other aircraft are just a fraction of glider-related fatalities. FAA records show that since 1964, 311 people died in 2,085 glider crashes in the U.S. and elsewhere – the vast majority attributed to pilot error or equipment failure.

But FAA’s stated goal is to “achieve the lowest possible accident rate and constantly improve safety,” and requiring transponders in gliders is the easiest problem to fix.

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