Narrative:

A glider transition pilot and I were in a blanik L-13 glider at 11000-13000 ft directly over kelly air park (CO15) near elbert; co; or within 1 NM of it. CO15 is located approximately 6 NM directly south of the denver class B airspace. Early that day; a member of our glider club had called cos approach by radio to inform them of heavy glider activity in the vicinity of CO15 anticipated through the day. We had a series of encounters of minimal separation between our glider and airliners on a northerly heading appearing to be flying from cos to den. The flight lasted 1.8 hours. At the time of the traffic conflicts; the orientation pilot was practicing thermalling; in the 11000-13000 ft MSL altitude block within 3 NM of CO15. The airliners appeared to be coming over CO15 at 12000 ft MSL consistently. There were a total of 5 airliners that passed by us in a 15 min period; 3 in about 5 mins. All appeared to come from cos; or at least they were in a line between cos and den. 2 airliners appeared to be less than 1 mi from us and less than 500 ft vertical separation. 3 of the airliners appeared to be within about 1/4 - 1/2 mi of us. The only one that saw us was an A319/320(?) that we believed we could see heads in the windows. It was probably less than 1/4 mi from us and less than 100 ft above us. It banked to the right from its northerly heading as we were definitely close to it and slightly off to the left at the same altitude. I had my handheld radio with me in addition to the aircraft radio. I probably should have called den approach; which I believe I have programmed in; but was busy in the see and avoid mode trying to find clear airspace to operate in without getting into massive sink.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SAILPLANE ENCOUNTERS SEVERAL COMMERCIAL ACFT IN CLOSE PROX TO HIS LOCATION WHILE PRACTICING THERMALLING NEAR CO15.

Narrative: A GLIDER TRANSITION PLT AND I WERE IN A BLANIK L-13 GLIDER AT 11000-13000 FT DIRECTLY OVER KELLY AIR PARK (CO15) NEAR ELBERT; CO; OR WITHIN 1 NM OF IT. CO15 IS LOCATED APPROX 6 NM DIRECTLY S OF THE DENVER CLASS B AIRSPACE. EARLY THAT DAY; A MEMBER OF OUR GLIDER CLUB HAD CALLED COS APCH BY RADIO TO INFORM THEM OF HVY GLIDER ACTIVITY IN THE VICINITY OF CO15 ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE DAY. WE HAD A SERIES OF ENCOUNTERS OF MINIMAL SEPARATION BTWN OUR GLIDER AND AIRLINERS ON A NORTHERLY HDG APPEARING TO BE FLYING FROM COS TO DEN. THE FLT LASTED 1.8 HRS. AT THE TIME OF THE TFC CONFLICTS; THE ORIENTATION PLT WAS PRACTICING THERMALLING; IN THE 11000-13000 FT MSL ALT BLOCK WITHIN 3 NM OF CO15. THE AIRLINERS APPEARED TO BE COMING OVER CO15 AT 12000 FT MSL CONSISTENTLY. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 5 AIRLINERS THAT PASSED BY US IN A 15 MIN PERIOD; 3 IN ABOUT 5 MINS. ALL APPEARED TO COME FROM COS; OR AT LEAST THEY WERE IN A LINE BTWN COS AND DEN. 2 AIRLINERS APPEARED TO BE LESS THAN 1 MI FROM US AND LESS THAN 500 FT VERT SEPARATION. 3 OF THE AIRLINERS APPEARED TO BE WITHIN ABOUT 1/4 - 1/2 MI OF US. THE ONLY ONE THAT SAW US WAS AN A319/320(?) THAT WE BELIEVED WE COULD SEE HEADS IN THE WINDOWS. IT WAS PROBABLY LESS THAN 1/4 MI FROM US AND LESS THAN 100 FT ABOVE US. IT BANKED TO THE R FROM ITS NORTHERLY HDG AS WE WERE DEFINITELY CLOSE TO IT AND SLIGHTLY OFF TO THE L AT THE SAME ALT. I HAD MY HANDHELD RADIO WITH ME IN ADDITION TO THE ACFT RADIO. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE CALLED DEN APCH; WHICH I BELIEVE I HAVE PROGRAMMED IN; BUT WAS BUSY IN THE SEE AND AVOID MODE TRYING TO FIND CLR AIRSPACE TO OPERATE IN WITHOUT GETTING INTO MASSIVE SINK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.