Narrative:

I was on a cross-country glider flight with an intended turnpoint at blairstown airport (1n7). I stopped to climb (thermal) approximately 7 miles south of 1n7 at approximately 3000 ft MSL. As I climbed through approximately 5000 ft MSL in circling flight; I observed a large aircraft closing rapidly at or near my altitude. I rolled level to attempt to change heading away from the other aircraft; and he passed within 1/4 mile and maybe 50 ft below me close enough to clearly recognize aircraft type and livery. The other aircraft was on a heading of approximately 060 to 070 degrees and appeared to be descending. Local glider pilots are well aware of normal approach routes into ny area airspace and avoid crossing these routes at or above altitudes where commercial traffic is present. In this case; the high-speed traffic was at a lower altitude (approximately 5000 ft) and on an atypical flight path. Normally; heavy traffic crosses further south of 1n7 and on a heading closer to 090 degrees and always at or above 6000 ft. ATC needs to understand that significant glider traffic exists near several area airports. There should be a land-line mechanism for operators to inform ATC on days when we anticipate glider activity at or above the altitudes that approach will be assigning to heavy commercial traffic. When activated; commercial traffic should be advised of glider activity and asked to report any observed traffic. Since gliders (no transponder equipped) are limited to 7000 ft AGL within the 30 mile mode C veil; the biggest problem lies just outside that veil as gliders can be surprisingly high on good thermal days.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GLIDER NEAR 1N7 HAD AN AIRBORNE CONFLICT WITH AN ACR ACFT AT 5000 FT. THE AREA IS THE NEAR AN NYC ARRIVAL CORRIDOR.

Narrative: I WAS ON A CROSS-COUNTRY GLIDER FLIGHT WITH AN INTENDED TURNPOINT AT BLAIRSTOWN AIRPORT (1N7). I STOPPED TO CLIMB (THERMAL) APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES SOUTH OF 1N7 AT APPROXIMATELY 3000 FT MSL. AS I CLIMBED THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 5000 FT MSL IN CIRCLING FLIGHT; I OBSERVED A LARGE AIRCRAFT CLOSING RAPIDLY AT OR NEAR MY ALTITUDE. I ROLLED LEVEL TO ATTEMPT TO CHANGE HEADING AWAY FROM THE OTHER AIRCRAFT; AND HE PASSED WITHIN 1/4 MILE AND MAYBE 50 FT BELOW ME CLOSE ENOUGH TO CLEARLY RECOGNIZE AIRCRAFT TYPE AND LIVERY. THE OTHER AIRCRAFT WAS ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 060 TO 070 DEGS AND APPEARED TO BE DESCENDING. LOCAL GLIDER PILOTS ARE WELL AWARE OF NORMAL APPROACH ROUTES INTO NY AREA AIRSPACE AND AVOID CROSSING THESE ROUTES AT OR ABOVE ALTITUDES WHERE COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC IS PRESENT. IN THIS CASE; THE HIGH-SPEED TRAFFIC WAS AT A LOWER ALTITUDE (APPROXIMATELY 5000 FT) AND ON AN ATYPICAL FLIGHT PATH. NORMALLY; HEAVY TRAFFIC CROSSES FURTHER SOUTH OF 1N7 AND ON A HEADING CLOSER TO 090 DEGS AND ALWAYS AT OR ABOVE 6000 FT. ATC NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT SIGNIFICANT GLIDER TRAFFIC EXISTS NEAR SEVERAL AREA AIRPORTS. THERE SHOULD BE A LAND-LINE MECHANISM FOR OPERATORS TO INFORM ATC ON DAYS WHEN WE ANTICIPATE GLIDER ACTIVITY AT OR ABOVE THE ALTITUDES THAT APPROACH WILL BE ASSIGNING TO HEAVY COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC. WHEN ACTIVATED; COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC SHOULD BE ADVISED OF GLIDER ACTIVITY AND ASKED TO REPORT ANY OBSERVED TRAFFIC. SINCE GLIDERS (NO TRANSPONDER EQUIPPED) ARE LIMITED TO 7000 FT AGL WITHIN THE 30 MILE MODE C VEIL; THE BIGGEST PROBLEM LIES JUST OUTSIDE THAT VEIL AS GLIDERS CAN BE SURPRISINGLY HIGH ON GOOD THERMAL DAYS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.