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Lifted this from a post by “Chess in the Sky” Very good way to approach this issue. The Board will be making a recommendation shortly.
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<div id=”id_5e6fe302617639e28545505″ class=”text_exposed_root text_exposed”>Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, several countries have closed all airfields as part of broader measures to slow the spread of the virus. Please heed the advice from Health Officials and comply with all laws and regulations.
However, if soaring remains possible in your area, I think it can be a perfectly suitable activity in these testing times. After all, what better way is there to practice “social distancing” while doing something that’s fun?
In this case, there are still so<span class=”text_exposed_show”>me precautions we should all take. I’m not a health expert but here’s my current list based on all the advice we’ve all been given:</span>
<div class=”text_exposed_show”>1) Stay away from the airfield if you have (or recently had) any symptoms associated with Covid-19, or if the advice from health authorities suggests that you should self-quarantine for any other reason.
2) Take special precautions while at the field:
– Keep at least 6ft (2m) distance from other people (e.g. during rigging/de-rigging) and don’t shake hands.
– Bring some sanitizer so you can disinfect your hands after touching surfaces that others are frequently touching as well (e.g. controls, handles, instruments, etc. in club gliders; locks and doorknobs; tow ropes; club parachutes; oxygen equipment; computer keyboards or touchscreens, etc.)
3) Think twice about flying with others in double seaters. If you do, assure yourself that your fellow pilot or passenger is healthy and not showing any symptoms.I’m curious: is your club still operating? Can you think of other precautions?
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Personally I don”t see anything wrong with continuing to fly, provided one take those basic precautions as Steven mentioned. Individuals should make their own decisions based on any additional risk factors they may have, of course.
Actually, it seems like a pretty great “low risk of exposure” activity to me though, especially given how many things have closed down.
For what it’s worth, I fly at William’s Soaring in northern California now, and they are still operating.
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I am currently in Florida and participating in the Seniors Soaring competition doing ground operations. The contest is continuing despite the Covid-19 outbreak. Some of us are wearing gloves while we handle gliders, others are using hand sanitizer frequently . They are sending out the morning pilot briefing notes via email instead of having a pilot meeting. So far only a few pilots have left or did not come at all to the contest. So far, everything is going well. We are not shaking hands and trying to stay a few feet away from people. There is no panic here. Smooth operations.
There are precautions we can take at the club like wearing gloves. Have plenty of hand sanitizer on hand. Wiping down the control sticks with clorox wipes after each use. Hand held radios can also be wiped. I think flying our two place gliders will not be a problem as long as we follow some common sense procedures to limit any exposure.Members should Follow the guidelines the CDC has recommended about self isolation and quarantine if needed. Don’t come to the club if you are sick.Day member rides can also be safely conducted after interviewing the rider about any health issues past or present.Just my 2 cents worth.Don Grillo -
I am currently in Florida and participating in the Seniors Soaring competition doing ground operations. The contest is continuing despite the Covid-19 outbreak. Some of us are wearing gloves while we handle gliders, others are using hand sanitizer frequently . They are sending out the morning pilot briefing notes via email instead of having a pilot meeting. So far only a few pilots have left or did not come at all to the contest. So far, everything is going well. We are not shaking hands and trying to stay a few feet away from people. There is no panic here. Smooth operations.
There are precautions we can take at the club like wearing gloves. Have plenty of hand sanitizer on hand. Wiping down the control sticks with clorox wipes after each use. Hand held radios can also be wiped. I think flying our two place gliders will not be a problem as long as we follow some common sense procedures to limit any exposure.Members should Follow the guidelines the CDC has recommended about self isolation and quarantine if needed. Don’t come to the club if you are sick.Day member rides can also be safely conducted after interviewing the rider about any health issues past or present.Just my 2 cents worth.Don Grillo -
I’ve been giving this some serious thought per Larry’s last email. Are the risks relatively low? Yes they are. The likelihood of infecting someone in a spread-out rural environment is relatively small. The sample size of those infected in downtown Chicago is still vanishingly small.
On the other hand, the majority of you are over the age of 60. That increases the lethality of this virus substantially though we don’t yet have enough data to say precisely how or why.
Healthy aeronautical decision making will help you determine what constitutes an acceptable risk for you personally.
I have no qualms about giving any of you one on one instruction in coming weeks. I would suggest to record the material presented in large membership or instructors’ meetings to eliminate the pressure an individual might feel to be in a large group if they don’t feel comfortable. That way those who do want to come can start the flying season unimpeded while those who don’t can review the material independently, then debrief the topics individually with an instructor.
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