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Is there any consensus when it comes to this question? If it depends then it depends on what exactly? I'm interested in the decision making in this kind of situation.

Łukasz Zaroda
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    Do you have a parachute? Most glider pilots do not... – Ron Beyer May 05 '17 at 19:58
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    Yes, I'm assuming having a parachute in this question - in my country chute is obligatory. – Łukasz Zaroda May 05 '17 at 20:01
  • Partly related questions: here, here – Pondlife May 05 '17 at 20:01
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    What exactly is the emergency? Are you making a controlled approach to the trees or uncontrolled? – Ron Beyer May 05 '17 at 20:04
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    Actually both situations are interesting, because you never know in which one you will end :) . – Łukasz Zaroda May 05 '17 at 20:05
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    @RonBeyer: Modern glider seats are designed for parachutes. Certification regulations require that the seat design must allow the accommodation of a parachute worn by an occupant (JAR 22.785). If you don't wear a parachute, you will need a thick cushion to sit properly. – Peter Kämpf May 05 '17 at 20:08
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    @PeterKämpf Interesting, the local glider club doesn't use parachutes, maybe it's just an EASA thing? – Ron Beyer May 05 '17 at 20:12
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    @RonBeyer: The seats are designed for parachutes. Even if they are not required it makes sense to wear them (and repack them regularly). – Peter Kämpf May 05 '17 at 20:24
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    +1 to Ron's observation. The glider club I used to frequent would only issue a parachute if you asked for one. It would bee seen as odd to take a 2-33 (or similar) up wearing a parachute. May just be a USA thing. – acpilot May 07 '17 at 22:21
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    In EU are parachutes mandatory (as far I know in most of the countries) and When having midair collision with structural damage, you have no option (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2713010/The-amazing-moment-glider-pilot-bail-aircraft-parachute-safety-wing-fell-dramatic-mid-air-collision.html) when you're with stacked altimeter, it looks much safer to land anyway :P – gusto2 May 08 '17 at 08:22
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    In the UK we all have to wear a parachute. While learning to fly I asked my instructor if we have enough height for the chute to fully deploy before we hit the ground. His answer was No, but it makes finding the body easier if you have a big nylon flag attached. This from the guy when I was on a final approach and coming in a bit too steep said "Remember that you are flying a self-burying fibreglass coffin" – AndyW May 08 '17 at 08:38
  • @AndyW: That particular problem would be easily solvable by using a ballistic parachute (one where the parachute is blasted out of its container rather than having to catch the air on its own), like the airframe parachute on a Cirrus except smaller. – Vikki Jan 22 '19 at 04:19

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Thankfully, I never had to make this choice. In my training I learned to stay in the plane and flare at the height of the treetops, then let the plane sink into the branches and have them stop and suspend the aircraft. The fuselage is quite effective as a protective shell, and up on top the branches are thin and flexible.

Use the parachute only to hoist yourself down from the stricken plane, if necessary.

Two-seater after landing in trees at Boberg glider port

Two-seater after landing in trees at Boberg glider port (picture source)

Peter Kämpf
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    Nice picture! Were they able to use the glider again? Totally agree with that conclusion; from the numbers of paratroopers I've talked with (having dropped quite a few), it's clear that a tree landing in a parachute can be pretty rough on the parachutist, especially one wearing typical glider flying shorts & t-shirt, rather than a soldier's protective gear. Tree landings were nobody's idea of a good time, even among those who had training & equipment to deal with them. – Ralph J May 05 '17 at 22:40
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    @RalphJ: I found the picture via Google, so I do not know much about that specific incidence. It was in a newspaper and it was mentioned that both instructor and trainee were distracted by the low sun and did not see the trees soon enough. From the picture I would guess the glider needed only minor repairs. However, with wingtip contacts there is always the risk that the spar root was damaged - this would be more serious. – Peter Kämpf May 06 '17 at 11:13
  • The most common reasons for having a parachute on a glider is that the flight will involve aerobatics and / or extreme weather which could result in structural failure. For the vast majority of tows I have provided, aerobatics are the primary reason for wearing a chute. – mongo May 06 '17 at 12:59
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    @mongo: I know too many cases of mid-airs in a thermal to agree. Wearing one doesn't hurt. – Peter Kämpf May 06 '17 at 13:07
  • Sadly, that does happen. Amend my comments that chute wearing increases during competitions as well. – mongo May 06 '17 at 13:18
  • Regarding midairs in a thermal, it is beautifully written about by R Bach in Bridge Across Forever. (You pilots have to read through a few sissy chapters about romance stuff before getting to the gliding chapters :) ) – Fattie May 06 '17 at 17:38
  • @mongo: in every competition I was involved and/or know of, the chute was mandatory. – Martin Argerami Aug 15 '17 at 05:51
  • How did they do that without breaking the wings off the glider and hitting the ground like a giant lawn dart? – Vikki Jan 22 '19 at 04:20
  • @Sean: The twigs and branches decelerated the glider gently, so when it dove down, it did so in slow motion. – Peter Kämpf Jan 22 '19 at 08:27