On Jan 11, 10:54*am, Bruce wrote:
So - a little advice. If you find an asset not being used, look at the
procedures relating to it's use. *Low time solo pilots should be safe in
something like an Apis - encourage them to fly it.

Funny thing is that when we changed the rule and made it standard procedure to
drag the hangar queen to the launch point every day - and lightened up a little
on the restrictions - it gets flown.

Thanks, Bruce!

Yes I've always had the opinion that our time-limits on club gliders
was a discouraging factor.

For our Apis, I think the flaps make the senior members overly
cautious (but AFAIK we could just tell low-time pilots to leave the
flaps in the 0 position and they'd be fine). Also, the rules require
10 solo flights in the unpopular 1-36 before being able to fly the
Apis... Students go from a very solid-handling L-13 to a very poor-
handling 1-36 (twitchy in pitch, sluggish in roll) - and I think they
tend to like the feel of the L-13 better, so they are more likely to
go back to it, instead of progressing to the Apis or Astir or L-33.

Take care,

--Noel