Gliding advice sought

[Hairy Crosswinds]

I have just started gliding again after a break of 20 odd years. (I only ever got an A Certificate back then).

I´m not learning in UK as I´m currently living abroad, so
am being taught things a bit differently from how I can
remember.
Basically, what downwind, (pre-landing checks), do glider
pilots use? My present instructor teaches me to check that the landing area is clear whilst we are on the downwind leg but thats about it. I can remember that my old club taught me a pnemonic involving undercarriage and flaps but thats all I can remember. Would this have been a BGA standard pnemonic?

Also what is the formula for determining the speed for landing?

Any advice from gliding instructors would be welcome.

Regards
HXW

[foghorn]

Mnemonic seems to be one of those words that people always forget how to spell.

Sorry HC, not trying to be the spelling police or anything just sharing something that tickled me.

[Hairy Crosswinds]

Foghorn

Thanks, I hadn´t forgotten how to spell the word, just never knew how to spell it in the first place!

I thought it was spelt like pneumatic, (or should that be
"mneumatic"?)

HXW

[MLS-12D]

I don't know what the BGA uses, but the Soaring Association of Canada teaches the following: SWAFTS

(1) Straps secure
(2) Wheel down / Water ballast jettisoned
(3) Airspeed (trim set for desired approach speed)
(4) Flaps
(5) Traffic (check for conflicts)
(6) Spoilers (check operable)

BTW, the pre-takeoff check is CISTRC (i.e., "Sister-C")

(1) Controls (free, full and correct)
(2) Instruments (altimeter and electric vario set)
(3) Straps (secure)
(4) Trim (set in takeoff position)
(5) Release ([correct] tow rope hooked up and tugged to ensure secure)
(6) Canopy (closed and locked)

Hope that helps.

MLS-12D :)

[Lowtimer]

been a long time since I went gliding, but the checks we used were:

pre-launch: CBSIFTCB
Controls
Ballast
Straps
Instruments
Flaps
Trim
Canopy
Brakes
(then cable checks, all clear above & behind, all clear ahead)

and for pre-landing UFSTALL
Undercarriage
Flaps
Speed
Trim
Airbrakes (unlocked)
Landing zone (clear)
Lookout

[distaff_beancounter]

I always remember how to spell mnemonic, from the mnemonic:-

Many
Named
Examples
Makes
Obscure
Narrative
Instantly
Clear

;)

[BLW Skylark 4]

Current BGA teaching is now:-

Takeoff:-

Controls
Ballast
Straps
Instruments
Flaps
Trim
Canopy
Brakes (airbrakes)
Eventualities (i.e if the cable / tow rope breaks where do you go?)

Landing:-

Undercarriage
Speed
Trim
Airbrakes (unlocked)
Landing (area clear?)
Lookout

I suppose though if you do regularly fly a flapped machine the addition of an F for flaps between U & S would be a good idea.

Only thing I would say is that as the 'E' for eventualities is a fairly recent addition to the pre-take off checks, ommitiing it from your checks is an almost guaranteed way to have an instructor pull a cable break on you on a check ride!

Hope this helps.

"BLW"

[Kegbuster]

On my instructors course last year the BGA have abolished down wind checks! The only checks to be done are pre circuit / landing checks Water & undercarrage. The rest of the old checks you do automatically. WUFSTALL Flaps if fitted you would select landing flap on finals not down wind! Speed you select at low key, Trim for the approach at low key, Airbrakes on finals, Look out & landing you would be doing any way. That just leaves Water & undercarrage which should be done before DOWNWIND.
This leaves the student to concentrate on flying the circuit & not scratching his head downwind.

[Hairy Crosswinds]

Many Thanks guys for all these replies which have helped both
with my gliding and with my spelling!

Lowtimer - Thanks, UFSTALL was the one I was scratching my
head trying to remember.
MLS-12D - I noticed that you don´t include Airbrakes in your pre-
take off checks. Do you include them in the control checks, or just don´t check them? This seems a pretty important check to me.

[engineless john]

Having been learning to fly gliders for the last couple of years, I can confirm Kegbuster's comment that downwind checks are generally discouraged.

The reason I was given was it was basically good airmanship to dump water ballast and get your wheel down prior entering a circuit, I didn't have flaps on take off (I learned on K13s), and was therefore unlikely to have sprouted them in the course of flight, speed should be sorted before the circuit starts too, and that takes care of trim. Airbrakes are there, put your hand on the lever, and open them if you want, and landing (area clear) and lookout are basically the same thing, and that is what I should be concentrating on.

At some point I'll fly something with a retractable undercarrige and eventually flaps, but the advice I was given there was, before starting a circuit, ask yourself, "Have I done everything I need to do before landing?"

[notbefore9]

Although not having flown gliders for a few years I remember that having landed out on many occasions and in some very interesting places I always found it comforting to have done the downwind checks I was taught in addition to the outlanding checks.

The downwind checks I used were WWULF

W- Wind
W- Water
U- Undercarriage
L- Landing area
F- Flaps

Including flaps at all times ensures rthat when the day arrives that you progress to a starship the landing experience should not include any extra and sudden excitments.:o :o ;) ;)