Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I would like to thank the two dedicated volunteers who spent most of Friday working out at SKY SOARING. Andy was hard at work getting our golf carts repaired. And Petr spent the day installing night lights on the outside of the hanger. Thank you for doing this volunteer work. It is greatly appreciated by all of us.
Don
Remember, you will need to have a fully trained crew for winch ops.
The only glider currently available for the winch is the 2-33. However, before flight it will need a thorough cleaning after sitting outside all winter. A type of mold or fungus is growing on it which will need to be removed as it is eating the paint. Also, a critical assembly check, lubing of all moving parts and a comprehensive preflight inspection.
Other jobs include getting the 1-26 out of hangar storage, inspected and lubed. Installing the new canopy on the Krosno, inspecting and lubing. Getting the PW-5 out of storage and anchoring the trailer.
As you can see we have much work to do, may I suggest a work crew on Saturday. 😉
Don
FCCSorry to say that the Pawnee tow
plane will not be available to fly until it has a transponder
check. That work is scheduled for Tuesday, April 6.Don
Hello Denny,
I loaded Condor on the computer and
only confirmed that it ran. It will need someone to go in and go
through the configuration and setup. I tried one flight with it
and it works although the stick was very sensitive and I thinks
needs some adjustment.I don’t believe that a login is
required.Feel free to play with it all you
like.I’m not sure about remote access…
Don
Hello Dick,
Thank you for the kind offer. The
snow at the entrance of the driveway is probably 10″ by now and
maybe more because the snowplows going by on RTE 20 add to the
amount. I would suggest unloading your tractor at the Loves
truck stop and driving your tractor a few hundred feet down rte
20 to our entrance. Unless you have a raised 4 wheel drive truck
I wouldn’t suggest pulling into the driveway. We can have
someone meet you at Loves to help, just say when and we’ll be
there.Regards,
Don
Hello Denny,
I loaded Condor on the computer and only confirmed that it ran. It will need someone to go in and go through the configuration and setup. I tried one flight with it and it works although the stick was very sensitive and I thinks needs some adjustment.
I don’t believe that a login is required.
Feel free to play with it all you like.
Don
John, Thank you for your time and volunteer work that you do for the club. Getting WINGS credit for our members keeps us engaged in training which makes us all safer pilots. I’m sure I speak for the board as well.
Regards,Don GrilloFlight Committee ChairmanDear Sky Soaring Member,
One component of the mandatory pilot Spring Checkout is to read the updated Sky Soaring Policies and Procedures document located in the skysoaring.com website and to take this refresher quiz. After you complete all 24 questions and click “SUBMIT” at the bottom of the form, you will immediately be given the opportunity to review your quiz results. Simply click “View Score” to read the answer key. Your score will automatically be registered in club records. If you’re not happy with your score, you may take the quiz again. We hope you find this to be an efficient way to self-test your policies and procedures knowledge.Please direct any concerns or questions to the Flight Committee Chairman.
Thank you for being a Sky Soaring member and good luck on the quiz!
Hello Sky Soaring Members,
The BOD has approved two changes to the Policy and Procedures Manual. I will summarize the changes.
1. Gliders will not be moved to the grid until the aircraft and pilot/s are ready to launch. Meaning that we do not want gliders sitting in the middle of the displaced thresholds where they can be an obstacle for landing aircraft or have aircraft flying over the top of them when landing. When departing runway 09, gliders will be staged either on the north or south sides, well clear of the runway centerline. When departing runway 27, gliders will stag on the north side, off the runway until ready to launch.
2. When landing runway 27, stop the aircraft before the runway end threshold markings. The fuel tank will no longer be used as a stop point. If you can not stop the aircraft before the threshold markings, turn left to avoid obstacles and people.
The changes in the Policy and Procedures manual are shown below in bold.
Download the updated file here: http://skysoaring.com/policies-and-procedures-manual-rev-3-12-2021/Regards,
Don Grillo (Flight Committee Chairman)
Ground Safety Officer (GSO) Duties and Responsibilities:
- The GSO is usually a job done by a rotating pool of qualified club members. They are qualified by knowing the club Policy & Procedures manual, the SSA Standard Signals and how to delegate duties to the Line Crew, which are the future GSO candidates.
- The GSO must make runway safety the priority, and has the authority to insist that adhering to club procedures for all pilots is mandatory. Rushing to launch, distractions such as logging launch times, or using non-standard signals may lead to confusion and an accident.
- A GSO will hold at least a Private Pilot Glider license or be authorized by the FCC to act as GSO.
- A GSO, CFI-G or SSI BOD should be present when SSI gliders are operated.
- Wearing the orange vest for positive identification.
- Select the direction of takeoff and landing operations – after consultation with the Tow Pilot, PIC and/or Instructor/s.
- Ensure the runway is well clear of any aircraft, vehicles or persons for takeoffs and landings.
- Staged gliders will be moved to the grid only after both the glider and its pilot/s are ready to launch.
- Appoint available helpers to tasks as necessary (Schedule, Rope, Wing-runner, Push crew, etc.).
- Delay or terminate operations if conditions become unsuitable
- Standard American Soaring Signals shall be used.
- Proper use of radio communications is encouraged with these guidelines:
- GSO shall carry or delegate the base radio and use the call sign “Sky Soaring” on field operations frequency of 123.3.
- GSO and pilots understand that base radio is a means of providing operational information. Aircraft PIC responsibility remains with the pilot.
Landing Patterns – Club Gliders
- Enter the pattern on the upwind, crosswind, or downwind leg.
- Complete the landing checklist before the downwind leg.
- Make the radio call if possible.
- Establish pattern speed of the recommended GFM/POH or 1.5 times the glider’s stall speed (Vso) plus half the wind velocity. If winds are gusting, also adding the gust factor is appropriate.
- Fly the downwind leg with sufficient altitude to allow a normal base and final using spoilers/dive brakes as necessary to dissipate excess altitude and to clear all obstacles by a normal height so as to land on a predetermined area of the landing surface.
- Land on the predetermined area with minimum speed consistent with glider characteristics and operating conditions.
- Stop straight ahead near the runway edge, North side preferred, as soon as possible.
- When landing on runway 27, stop before passing the runway 27 threshold markings.
- If you cannot stop before the threshold markings, turn left away from the hanger and parked aircraft.
- Move the glider off the active runway as soon as possible.
Looking for a couple of members that are available this Friday morning around 8:30 – 9:00 to help with organizing the hangar in preparation for the Safety Meeting on Saturday.
Regards,
Don Grillo
Hello SSI Instructors,
Since their has been no feedback on the proposals I made, I am assuming that everyone is in agreement about:
- Moving the rwy 27 stop line from the fuel tank to the runway threshold markings.
- Designating taxiway, staging, gridding, towplane and run-a-way areas of our field.
- Retraining our CFI’s to teach our members to only taxi/roll the glider to the north side of the runway when a low amount of energy is achieved (for example: at a fast walk speed).
I will make the changes in the Policies and Procedures Manual on page nine and run it by the BOD for approval.
Sincerely,
Don Grillo
FCC
