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Great points.
For clarification, an unassisted launch (one with no wing runner) by definition requires a brief dragging of a wing tip. It is perfectly safe and described in detail in the FAA glider flying handbook. And yes, there may be exceptions for certain gliders where you wouldn’t want to.
-Mark
I think a discussion is warranted as well. The club spent tens of thousands of dollars and countless hours realizing our high performance winch. While not all members are interested using it, many others are. We owe it to ourselves to have a respectful and honest conversation to include the winch along with possibilities for new hangars, towplanes, and gliders.
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Must be planning to catch those early morning thermals we’ve been hearing about.
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Per discussion with Steve, I will be on hand at 9am (Friday) to tow. Need a reliever by 11:15 if folks plan to fly after that.
For the other clubs that were surveyed that do not compensate their instructors, I’d be curious to know which if any charge their members fees for flight instruction such as we do at Sky Soaring?
A funny story to add….About six years ago on my Private Pilot checkride, the first landing task the examiner asked for was a accuracy landing (spot landing). The winds were out of the west and we were landing and departing on Runway 27. That being the case, I recall picking a spot close to the runway threshold, thereby avoiding a long golf cart tow back to the launch point for the next flight. I joined the pattern to land and exactly as discussed today, there was a glider staged at the start of the runway, directly in the center. I turn on to final and the glider is still there on the runway…decision time. Considering that I had a designated examiner in the back, I closed the dive brakes, informed the examiner I was aborting the accuracy landing and would land long for safety. Figuring I had made a conservative choice, I assumed the examiner would applaud my aeronautical decision making after we had landed. WRONG! I was lambasted for flying over the parked glider (even though I deliberately approached high to avoid it). Apparently, the correct course of action was to do a “side-step” maneuver, where you maneuver to the side of the runway and then turn back once the obstacle is clear. Considering I had never seen or heard of that maneuver, let alone practiced for it, I’m still glad I did what I did, despite receiving an earful. No harm, no foul….gliders were unscathed and I ended up doing an extra flight to complete the accuracy landing task (this time with an open runway).
Let’s do our best to keep the approach end of the runway clear of gliders and by all means, avoid doing the low approach over any gliders, vehicles, or persons on the ground.
-Mark
I would support keeping it.
Mark
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On Jan 14, 2021, at 3:14 PM, Sky Soaring <webmaster@skysoaring.com> wrote:I would like to echo Erik’s statement about the winch. One of the big disappointments with the winch is that we are often limited in the altitude we can get on most launches, due to the relatively short length of our our runway. The temporary use of the east agricultural field has partly solved this and we’ve been able to get releases of nearly 2000 feet agl depending on conditions.
That said, there is safety value in being able to practice lots of pattern-height launches. Even if one is not able to get a duration flight out of it, the habit of doing multiple launches and landings definitely builds your skills, and the launch itself is a lot of fun! Yes, the first few you experience are intense and it feels like things happen FAST, but eventually you learn to anticipate the events and the launches become an absolute joy. And as Erik said, winching forces you to think about low altitude emergency management and many of those same skills can be transferred to aero-tow launching. It will increase your reflexes and make you a better pilot.
Personally, I would like to see the club try to take better advantage of non-soaring days. Just because there aren’t thermals, does not mean we can’t be out there working on pilot proficiency in the traffic pattern (and the winch is a great way to do this inexpensively). Came up short on your last accuracy landing? Get a winch operation going and make accuracy landings the goal of the day.
AND, don’t forget that the winch is currently our only launch alternative in case our single tow plane goes down for extended maintenance. Back in 2017 when the Cessna 150 towplane had an accident, the winch permitted us to keep flying for nearly two months until a new towplane was acquired.
Board, please consider this decision carefully.
-Mark
Denny,Specifically regarding Flight Reviews (and WINGS flight activities), you should refer to the appropriate Practical Test Standards (PTS) to see the various tasks and tolerances for the tasks that you might be asked to do on a flight review. For instance, as a private pilot you would want to refer to the Private Pilot Glider PTS. A commercial pilot would want to use the commercial PTS. Links are below…
Mark
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