Outlandings: Do’s and Don’ts

[John DeRosa]

I should mention that the author of this article is Australia and uses phrases that you may not be familiar with.

An example is “SINGLE-WIRE EARTH RETURN LINES” which basically translates to “a thin hard to see electrical wire that you don’t want to run into”.Another is “paddock” which is a fenced off area for livestock (plus rocks, ravines, bulls, trees, etc) that you also don’t want to run into.My rule of thump for landouts is “Land in dirt and you won’t get hurt”! Been there done that several times. Fun!

Best Regards,
John “Dirt” DeRosa

[Dennis Burke]

A good review posted. A concern i’ve had during 5 past Spring Safety Meetings is how we should handle outlandings of any members while in the club gliders. The PW5 seems to be the only one that could be easily disassembled, but its trailer would have to be towed out by a remaining member(s) that have a vehicle with capable wired hitch.  The other club gliders seem impossible to take apart in field, and may need many members to do that task.Even so, do all of us know the proper tools to bring out to Site, for each SGS and Krosno, and where Trailers are identified for each (if existing), and how to hook them up??  Maybe I’ve missed something over the years, but I wouldn’t know the exact procedure steps to help one of the members get back to SSI, possibly after sundown. I could make up my own procedure, but that’s  not right. The private ship owners have their trailers with stowed tool kits, and know their tear-down procedure, so they need basic manual labor help. I would suggest an SSI landout procedure to be taught/reviewed to the Members as a Safety Topic.

[John DeRosa]

Denny,

We have had quite a few club ship land-outs over the years, I have been on 5+ myself.

A required part of every glider pilot’s
training is to take part in assembling or disassembling a glider –
typically during early spring and late fall work. It is important and a very instructive event. No one can know how to do this on every known glider but the types of metal gliders that
we own has a common set of steps, bolts, pins, and types
of connections. We also have the assembly manual for reference.

What occurs is that we gather up a bucket of assorted tools, straps, padding, etc. Then a group of members form up a party to go the site of the landing. It most often happens the same day, but once or twice had to wait for the next day. Every time someone had a hitch on their vehicle plus we have every size of adapter/ball in the radio room. If we don’t have the exact trailer for the glider you will be surprised how a “general” trailer can work for the short trip home given enough straps, padding and such. The collective member knowledge is the key element. Plus NOT dropping any parts in the dirt/grass (a blanket helps)!

The event may not go quickly, and much sweat will be expended, but every single time the end result is that the glider arrives back at the field. Again, a very instructive event.

John H DeRosa

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On Friday, September 23, 2022 at 02:43:48 PM CDT, SSI <webmaster@skysoaring.com> wrote:

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