A B737 took evasive action from a glider at about 10;000' while descending for a daylight visual app...

Narrative:

ATC cleared our flight to the calls navigation fix for runway 11L visual approach. Just prior to being cleared; we were told that gliders were in the area. Passing through approximately 11;000' MSL my first officer spotted the glider at 12 o'clock and co-altitude. When I saw the glider; they were turning to the left and going away from us. I disengaged the autopilot and flew the aircraft manually to the right to increase the distance between us. As we passed abeam the glider; the distance was less than 1000' and less than a mile. We were still in communication with approach; so we told the controller the gliders position; which was now above us. The controller called back to confirm the glider was 'above us as we passed below 10;000' MSL.' having gliders without transponders is a real threat to other aircraft that cannot see them; especially when gliders have a very small profile head on or tail to you. I hope this report finds the right people in charge to protect the flying public from airborne hazards that could be avoided by installing a transponder.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 took evasive action from a glider at about 10;000' while descending for a daylight visual approach to TUS Runway 11L. Suggest transponder equipped gliders near airports.

Narrative: ATC cleared our flight to the CALLS navigation fix for Runway 11L visual approach. Just prior to being cleared; we were told that gliders were in the area. Passing through approximately 11;000' MSL my First Officer spotted the glider at 12 o'clock and co-altitude. When I saw the glider; they were turning to the left and going away from us. I disengaged the autopilot and flew the aircraft manually to the right to increase the distance between us. As we passed abeam the glider; the distance was less than 1000' and less than a mile. We were still in communication with Approach; so we told the Controller the gliders position; which was now above us. The Controller called back to confirm the glider was 'above us as we passed below 10;000' MSL.' Having gliders without transponders is a real threat to other aircraft that cannot see them; especially when gliders have a very small profile head on or tail to you. I hope this report finds the right people in charge to protect the flying public from airborne hazards that could be avoided by installing a transponder.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	1010480
Time
Date	201205
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	U90.TRACON
State Reference	AZ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 437 Flight Crew Type 9700
Events
Anomaly	Conflict Airborne Conflict Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown

A B737 took evasive action from a glider at about 10;000' while descending for a daylight visual approach to tus runway 11L. Suggest transponder equipped gliders near airports.