P2006T IFR approach: two airprox with gliders in class E airspace

During an IFR training approach to Les Eplatures, a Tecnam P2006T had two close encounters with gliders in Class E airspace; no injuries and no damage resulted. About 45 gliders were on cross-country along the Jura that day under building cumulus. At 14:59 the P2006T and an ASH 26 E passed at 185 m horizontal and 375 ft on opposite headings (airprox Cat B). At 15:06 it passed 60 m horizontal and 50 ft above an SZD-55-1; the glider pilot, alerted by FLARM, evaded (Cat A, near-collision). Traffic advisories were given, but separation is not mandatory in Class E and the cumulus limited what ATC could provide.

1. IFR training approach to Les Eplatures: A Tecnam P2006T trainer, crewed by an instructor and two students, flew an IFR training flight from Speck-Fehraltorf to Les Eplatures.
2. Class E: traffic advisories only: These encounters occurred in class E airspace outside the Les Eplatures control zone, where ATC could advise on traffic but was not required to separate IFR from VFR flights.
3. Active XC glider day, ~45 along Jura: About 45 gliders were flying cross-country along the Jura on 21 May 2023, including the ASH 26 E and the SZD-55-1, both equipped with FLARM and Mode-S transponders.
4. Building cumulus reducing visibility: From 14:20 cumulus built up; by 14:50 the sky was 5/8 to 7/8 covered with a base near 2,150 m AMSL, and the P2006T flew partly in and out of cloud during its IFR procedure.
5. First airprox: 185 m / 375 ft, Cat B: At 14:59:54 the P2006T, climbing at 7,000 ft on a missed approach, and the ASH 26 E, overflying at 7,200 ft, passed on near-opposite headings 185 m apart horizontally and 375 ft vertically.
6. ATC traffic advisories repeated: Between 14:45 and 15:06 Alps Radar gave the P2006T several advisories about nearby gliders; STCA warnings began at 14:55:39, with a final advisory at 15:05:47 noting a glider 700 ft below.
7. Second airprox: 60 m / 50 ft, Cat A: At 15:06:58 the P2006T passed 60 m horizontally and 50 ft above the SZD-55-1, which had just left the CTR descending southwest; both crews had sighted each other and were already evading.
8. Glider evaded, both continued, no damage: Both gliders continued to their destinations and the P2006T landed without incident or damage. The pilots had not seen each other in time amid limited separation and building cumulus.