Glider Tugging
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Medway towns
Age: 72
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Kent club rules said, before solo, learn to drive the winch.....
This was changed when it was realised there were broadly three categories of winch drivers.
Naturals, duck to water etcetera.
Diligent pupils with little feel for the art..
And of course those who should never be allowed near anything of such potential mischief!
The winch cab on the courses became a sort of finishing school, where the students could ask questions that might attract the derision of the instructor.... and also gain some understanding of the teamwork of winch launching!
I signed off quite a few winch drivers in my tenure, and also re-educated a few of the older generation who launched everything at 40 kts as though t'were a T21 - a K13 really appreciates a nice 54 kt climb....!!!
Also worthy of note was the whole solo flight idea, get out of the K13 and fly the K8. If a solo pilot bent the K13, nobody could fly.... good reasoning, but it meant I was in demand as driver for all the first solo flights on the wire!!
This was changed when it was realised there were broadly three categories of winch drivers.
Naturals, duck to water etcetera.
Diligent pupils with little feel for the art..
And of course those who should never be allowed near anything of such potential mischief!
The winch cab on the courses became a sort of finishing school, where the students could ask questions that might attract the derision of the instructor.... and also gain some understanding of the teamwork of winch launching!
I signed off quite a few winch drivers in my tenure, and also re-educated a few of the older generation who launched everything at 40 kts as though t'were a T21 - a K13 really appreciates a nice 54 kt climb....!!!
Also worthy of note was the whole solo flight idea, get out of the K13 and fly the K8. If a solo pilot bent the K13, nobody could fly.... good reasoning, but it meant I was in demand as driver for all the first solo flights on the wire!!
Join Date: Oct 2007
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DOF
Ah, you bring back happy memories of launching T21s with a home-made winch (on an old bus chassis) with the Kent club. I was just a 16 year old summer course pupil who knew little about gliders and less about winching. The selection process would probably be called victimisation nowadays. The training lasted all of 30 minutes and after that being left on my own to sort it out and be gassed by the leaking exhaust under the cab. I seem to remember that the cable broke frequently but we all had a good time and I got a gliding C in two weeks.
Happy days.
Ah, you bring back happy memories of launching T21s with a home-made winch (on an old bus chassis) with the Kent club. I was just a 16 year old summer course pupil who knew little about gliders and less about winching. The selection process would probably be called victimisation nowadays. The training lasted all of 30 minutes and after that being left on my own to sort it out and be gassed by the leaking exhaust under the cab. I seem to remember that the cable broke frequently but we all had a good time and I got a gliding C in two weeks.
Happy days.
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Medway towns
Age: 72
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I think I drove the bus winch in 1975, had so much fun I used to drive it as and when I was passing, didn't bother to join the club.... not a problem, as soon as another face turned up, the previous victim left in a hurry to cleaner climes.
The CFI was renowned for rebriefing winch drivers... on one occasion, he left for the winch in high dudgeon, but a sympathetic club member warned the driver of incoming angst... he fled, worked his way back through the woods to the clubhouse and acted nonchalant.... no name, no pack drill!!!!
CFI still hasn't discovered his identity after 40 years....!
Somebody better start a new thread soon...
Returning to my original post.... Getting the entry on the licence when it will become a requirement - eventually!
CFI at one club informed me he couldn't instruct and examine because he in turn needed a particular piece of paper that would cost him a lot of money.
Additionally, a Class 2 medical was also needed to carry out the air exercises.
WHEN the new rules are applied, there will be a great difficulty finding qualified examiners!
Should I extend my activities to instructing tug pilots??
I have a class 2 medical, with allowance made for hearing loss! (hence site name... )
Seems there may need to be a little generosity on the part of those people paying CAA rates for privileges... I owe my NPPL to a couple such...
The CFI was renowned for rebriefing winch drivers... on one occasion, he left for the winch in high dudgeon, but a sympathetic club member warned the driver of incoming angst... he fled, worked his way back through the woods to the clubhouse and acted nonchalant.... no name, no pack drill!!!!
CFI still hasn't discovered his identity after 40 years....!
Somebody better start a new thread soon...
Returning to my original post.... Getting the entry on the licence when it will become a requirement - eventually!
CFI at one club informed me he couldn't instruct and examine because he in turn needed a particular piece of paper that would cost him a lot of money.
Additionally, a Class 2 medical was also needed to carry out the air exercises.
WHEN the new rules are applied, there will be a great difficulty finding qualified examiners!
Should I extend my activities to instructing tug pilots??
I have a class 2 medical, with allowance made for hearing loss! (hence site name... )
Seems there may need to be a little generosity on the part of those people paying CAA rates for privileges... I owe my NPPL to a couple such...
Why all this talk about examiners? There is no test to add a sailplane tow rating to an EASA licence, there's no such thing as a tow rating under the old rules, never mind a test. If there's no test there's no need for examiners. If someone is mentioning examiner to you in regards to tugging they are either:
When the time comes for you to convert, if you can find a BGA CFI prepared to certify your tugging experience you can get a sailplane tow rating on your EASA licence. If you can find a BGA CFI prepared to certify that you have trained other tugpilots you can get a CRI certificate limited to sailplane tow training attached to your EASA licence.
a) bull$hitting or
b) unwilling to sign your application & blaming "the rules".
There is no requirement to hold a tow rating on an EASA licence to act as a tugpilot until April 2018. Until then you can continue to tow on an EASA or non-EASA licence, you can continue to train people to tow on an EASA or non-EASA licence. An NPPL(SSEA) holder with a DVLA medical can still be a tugpilot & can still train other tugpilots.b) unwilling to sign your application & blaming "the rules".
When the time comes for you to convert, if you can find a BGA CFI prepared to certify your tugging experience you can get a sailplane tow rating on your EASA licence. If you can find a BGA CFI prepared to certify that you have trained other tugpilots you can get a CRI certificate limited to sailplane tow training attached to your EASA licence.
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Medway towns
Age: 72
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Hi, prop swinger...... have another read of my post.... I am not talking about the NOW, but the Christmas Yet To Come....
EASA didn't exist when I first flew 42 years ago...
My gliding Silver C is a badge of achievement, not a licence, when flying in other countries a licence is required for sailplanes....
The shortage of instructors and examiners in light aviation is becoming felt, and is especially noticeable in the more exotic and unusual areas.
The date of compliance gets pushed back again and again... for many reasons
I have suggested that rule books should be the result of literary competition, the best set of aviation laws from the most competent author should be adopted.
Hey, the Ten Commandments fit easily on one side of a bit of A4, isn't there a comparable document for pilots....
Tommy Tickled Mary For Forty Glorious Hours.
EASA didn't exist when I first flew 42 years ago...
My gliding Silver C is a badge of achievement, not a licence, when flying in other countries a licence is required for sailplanes....
The shortage of instructors and examiners in light aviation is becoming felt, and is especially noticeable in the more exotic and unusual areas.
The date of compliance gets pushed back again and again... for many reasons
I have suggested that rule books should be the result of literary competition, the best set of aviation laws from the most competent author should be adopted.
Hey, the Ten Commandments fit easily on one side of a bit of A4, isn't there a comparable document for pilots....
Tommy Tickled Mary For Forty Glorious Hours.
