Gliding Question

[mad_jock]

Was bored today and as it looked decent wx thought lets see if this gliding lark is all its cracked up to be.

First impressions.

Alot more quality totty kicking around gliding fields.

No security gimps hasseling you about yellow vests.

Decent range of sandwichs at the club mess.


Now the question.

What's the neumonics for Pre takeoff and Downwind checks.

TO was CB... then something and the downwind I haven't a clue.

MJ

[Warped Factor]

I was taught, a while ago now, for pre launch.....

Controls - correct sense and full and free
Ballast - checked within limits
Straps - secure
Instruments - checked
Flaps - set if required
Trim - set correctly
Canopy - closed and locked
Brakes - off and/or closed

Don't remember the downwind one.

The only other one I do remember was for a cable brake.....

Nose - down
Attitude - approach attitude
Release - pull release to get rid of trailing wire
Speed - check to ensure sufficient before turning
Trim - for approach
Intentions - straight ahead, turn etc

WF.

[powerless]

Pre take off

CBSIFTCBE

Control
Ballast
Straps
Instruments
Flaps
Trim
Canopy
Brakes
Eventuality


Downwind -
WUFSTALL

Water - Release balast
Undercarriage
Flaps
Speed
Trim
Airbrake
Lookout
Landing Area

[Future Pundit]

Totty- which club? Gliding is suffering from an ageing population. It is good to hear of a club with young women.

[kabz]

Pre-takeoff
ABCCCDE
A - Altimeter
B - Belts secure
C - Cockpit check
C - Controls (free and correct, including spoilers in)
C - Canopy - Closed and locked
D - Wind direction
E - Emergency plan

Landing
FUSTALL
F - Flaps
U - Undercarriage - down
S - Speed - Target speed for approach
T - Trim
A - Airbrakes - crack open and look
L - Lookout - pattern clear ?
L- Landing - Plan touchdown point

hee hee, you'll like gliding MJ, but don;t flare, just fly it on and pull the brakes full open to stay on the ground.

[Wot No Engines]

Or the Aussie checks:

A - Aircfraft (walkround)
B - Ballast - pilot wieghts + removeable
C - Controls - correct sense
D - (Tail) Dolly removed, DI book present

C - Controls - full and free
H - Harness
A - Airbrakes
O - Outside clear, crew to assist and Eventualitied
T - Trim + Flaps
I - Instruments
C - Canopy

Taking me a while to get used to after the UK, but it makes more sense to me.

As to downwind - never used a downwind check as such - and glad of it on occasion - each approach and landing is different. I have witnessed several people having landed wheel up after a long straight in final glide - comment after was that as they hadn't flown a circuit, they didn't do downwind checks, so totally forgot about it all.

I guess the tottie was at a club that also has a university club attached. Not all clubs in the UK are ageing. Those that are family friendly seem to be atracting youger members - they are also more fun to socialise at in general.

Any secutiry gimp or yellow vest is likely to have the P:mad: taken to the extreme. Safety is a frame of mind, not a list of rules + yellow vests, etc.

[SKYYACHT]

CB SIFT ECB

Controls
Ballast
Straps
Instruments
Flaps (If fitted)
Trim
Eventualities
Canopy
Brakes.

I understand that the BGA have recently moved the "Eventualities" to prior to closing the lid because instructors and students were getting cooked waiting for the pre flight briefing to be completed.

FUSTALL

As Given in the previous post


And yes - this last week has been superb for gliding :ok:

[Blinkz]

the closest club to aberdeen if i recall is aboyne? been then afew times. nice club :)

[mad_jock]

Thanks for the help

Could be that ABZ uni club was flying, which would explain the totty.

Yep it was Aboyne very friendly bunch who were very welcoming to my spur of the moment arrival.

My first instructor was a retired big wig from the RAF who couldn't have been more of a gent. Great instructional style as well.

My second instructor was a current Tornado pilot. Again couldn't be faulted on instruction given. Let me do the lot. Felt as if I was going to scrap my backside off the deck when I landed it though.
And the nice chap has written fast track on my sheet.

That badge system though makes me feel as if I am back in scouts.

MJ

[Wot No Engines]

MJ,

Know what you mean about the badge system. At the risk of abuse from others, the Silver is the ONLY important one - equivalent to the PPL in many ways and internationally recognised. The others are a way of paying money to get a badge to prove you did something - the distance milestones they represent are inportant though. The scottish clubs like the height gains as this generates a lot of revenue from the south.

Glad you had fun. Never been to Aboyne myself - always found Feshie a blast though (both the people and the wind).

Biggest problem power pilots have are using their feet and keeping the glider "flying" until it stops, with some having an issue with being so low when you touch down.

[chrisN]

Re badges, another important one is the Bronze. That, plus "cross counry endorsement", is a pre-requisite before going cross-country, which you have to do before getting silver. These two are more like ratings than scout badge collecting - unless of course you think collecting ratings is equally juvenile, in which case you are entitled to your opinion that they are all the same.

As to gold, diamond, etc., they are measures of achievement. Some people like to get them if they can - they take some getting - but one doesn't have to try, any more than power pilots have to try flying any further than to a few £100 burger bars and back.

Chris N.

[Future Pundit]

ChrisN

You are right that some of the badges take some getting. If the weather is right, an aircraft is available, and a crew is willing then a 500 is not a problem (as you said).

Trying to get these variables to come together seems to be pure luck. I find competitions allow me to guarantee a crew and a/c. That just leaves the weather.

[Blinkz]

Theres nothing more rewarding then getting a winch launch to 1500ft and then 20 mins later being at 14,000ft. hehe.

scottish wave is great :ok:

pic 1 (http://www.eosclan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gliding/nice.JPG)

pic 2 (http://www.eosclan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gliding/cold.JPG)

pic 3 (http://www.eosclan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gliding/byebyesun.jpg)

[Circuit Basher]

Excellent pics, Blinkz! Just one point about Pic 3 - you weren't flying before sunrise / after sunset at all, were you??!! ;)

[Blinkz]

as you can clearly see the sun is most def up! :D

we then cracked open the airbrakes and did 100knts (for those that don't know, vne in a k13 is 110knts ;)). lost about 2000ft in about 20 secs lol :}

we landed at last landings :p

i got some more pics from the flight if anyones interested. pm me if so :)

[mad_jock]

I might add I am doing this for fun so badge collecting isn't my priority.

Going Solo and being allowed to annoy buzzards away from the field without having to get briefed and signed out everytime. But even that isn't going to be a big race to get to.

I didn't find the landing to bad at all. I watched the first one then just made the picture look right for the second one and used the air brake as I would the throttle on a fixed wing (luckly it works in the same sense) . Waited until i was aware that the runway was coming towards me rounded out, then pulled the airbrake on and lifted the nose a bit and she sat down without any grief. My arse did feel very close to the ground though.

When can you take pax up with you?

MJ

[Blinkz]

it depends on the club, but friends and family is usually bronze with a certain about of experience, 50 ish hours rings a bell, and you need a medical certificate saying your vaguely healthy.

[jgs43]

Minimum requirement to carry passengers i.e. "Friends and Family" is a Club issued Endorsement.

BGA requirements are a minimum of a Bronze Badge, 50 hours minimum P1 in gliders, Clearance from the CFI, and a Self declaration with Doctors signature stating that there is nothing in your medical history that would prevent you gaining an HGV Class 2. (If you have a JAR or NPPL Medical then this will over-ride the latter requirement)

Club CFI's may impose higher standards and you will not be permitted to fly with a passenger unless an Assistant or Full Rated Instructor is also on site.

This permits you to take friends and family members for a flight with the proviso that you are paying for the flight. To carry paying passengers requires a Basic Instructor Rating.

If you want to know more then get a copy of "Laws and Rules" for Glider Pilots. The local club will have a copy.

Blinkz,
Re wave flights to 14,000 ft.

Didn't know that the Edinburgh Uni ASK13 was fitted with Oxygen?????
;)

[bletchleytugie]

MJ.

Will be at Aboyne for two weeks starting 13 Sept. Having just done my Diamond Distance I am again coming up to try for my Diamond Height - its 13 years since I did my Gold height - Aboyne owes me one.

If your about look out for glider 196 - you'll easily identfy the Bicester Bunch - we'll be the ones keeping the locals away from the bar.

[mad_jock]

Are you staying in the bunkhouse?

Might have my arm twisted into joining you at the bar :D


MJ

[MLS-12D]

The badges can be a bit silly I suppose, but they do give some definite objectives to shoot for, which should improve the standard of your flying, and prevent boredom from setting in.

To some extent, badges are an objective, verified international test of piloting skill; although a diamond badge earned by someone flying an LS8 in Nevada is, of course, not as impressive as a gold badge earned by a K8 pilot in England. Also, it has to be said that there are many excellent pilots out there who have never bothered with badge hunting.

One thing I do believe is beyond doubt is that for 99% of soaring pilots, badge hunting is a personal challenge, and there are very few attempts to show off. Really, nobody cares what badges anyone else may have.

P.S. Neil Armstrong earned C badge #4309 (SSA) in 1966. Charles Lindbergh held C badge #10 (SSA), which he earned in 1930.

[bletchleytugie]

MJ

Bunkhouse - err NO.

We are infact staying on South Deesside and swapping houses on the middle Saturday. We will be breakfasting on the airfield no doubt and I shall be getting my morning walk and briefing from Hamish - I suppose Lyn still thinks she CFI, Hamish doesn't have the heart to tell her.

For those who are wondering Hamish is a Chocolate Labrador and therefore, (like RAF Stn Cmdrs who are owned by Labradors) totally in charge of all that goes on the airfield.

[mad_jock]

I have met said big fecker of a choc lab.

Haven't met the CFI yet. Well I will make an appeance and depending which bar you are in a pint or 2.

MJ

[ATC Watcher]

Interesting photos and remarks from a non-UK reader.
I would add :
Check lists : the ones in France / Belgium/ Germany are similar to those mentioned so far except we add :Radio on + correct frequency set.
and Airbrakes in and locked
I also add personally : nothing loose ( in cockpit ) after having had to return from a promising circuit because my bottle of water had rolled near the rudder pedals !
The FAI badges : for kids now : they had a value when 300 km in a wood and fabric open air cockpit machine really meant something extraordinary.
Today , Go to the Alps , hire an LS6 in a local club and you will make 300 Km in 5 hours and gain 3000m in a single day.
If you have money, hire an ASW22 and 500 K in 3,5 hours is feasable.
What does this proves : just that Germans build very ( very) good sailplanes and that Mountain waves are very good in the Alps.
Not that you are a better pilot.

Nowadays we are all in the Web : OLC ( on line contest ) or Netcoupe ( F) where we download our loggers and compare routes, circuits. altitudes chosen and times. There you can compare yourself and see who is the best pilot...or made the best choices and on which machine.
Doing 400 K one day where everybody else did 250 has not the same value , I can tell you, that showing off badges.