On May 18, 2:44*pm, Walt Connelly Walt.Connelly.
wrote:
'Fox Two[_2_ Wrote:









;814862']Hello all. *I've been away from RAS for a few years, but after
browsing, this looks like a great thread to become reacquainted. *As a
non-current but experienced CFI in the USA, and now an ex-pat living in
France with my Discus2 soaring in the Alps, I have a uniquely pertinent
perspective!

I'm going to back-up Kirk "66" and agree with him that the American
SYSTEM of instruction is flawed, but not the instructors themselves. *To
clarify, the typical American club 'instructs' to solo, and then
'brushes-up' to the check ride. *This meets the requirements of FAR part
61 for either Private or Commercial Pilot Standards. *I have never met a
recently-certified American Private Pilot-Glider that can explain to me
what a glider polar is, beyond what the two axes on the graph represent..
If a particular pilot has the personal desire to further their
knowledge or range, it is more or less up to them. *To clarify, I
purposefully used the word TYPICAL in my description of American clubs;
of course there are exceptions.

By contrast, here in France, instruction continues to what they call the
"Brevet F," what we in the USA call the Diamond Badge. *Yes, you read
correctly: *it is EXPECTED of pilots to continue training through to the
Diamond Badge!

My club in Fayence, which is typical of clubs in France, is different
from its American counterparts in many ways. *First, we have mandatory
briefings every morning. *If you want to fly today, you'll be at the
briefing at 9am.. *Gliders are assigned at the briefing, and it will be
yours to fly all day. *This is a bigger deal than it appears. *American
clubs typically limit time in a club glider to an hour or two, so that
other pilots may fly it too. *The problem is that this practice
completely discourages cross-country flight.

Each flight intentionally flown beyond gliding range of the home field
must be pre-approved by the Chief Instructor. *Instructors flying
cross-country check-up on cross-country pilots via position/status
reports, and offer updates on changing conditions. *If a pilot is doing
something that the instructor deems ‘unwise,’ instructions
are given, and occasionally an instructor will abandon their task,
divert to the inexperienced pilot’s location, and then guide them
back to safer pastures.

Which glider you're allowed to fly is dependent on how much training
you've had. *If you want to fly the Pegase or LS4, you'll need to have
the equivalent of a Silver Badge, and have done it in the mountains, in
a Ka6, and then have been instructed in the ASK21. *Want to fly the
ASW20? *That's only after you've flown 100kms in the Standard Class, and
have been instructed in the JanusC. *Beyond getting trained in the
gliders’ differences, you’re getting trained in glider
performance. *French pilots know glider polars, and they know how to
apply that knowledge.

Here at Fayence, to be approved to fly a task greater than 200kms,
you're required to have attended a week-long encampment at
Barcelonnette, an extreme Alpine Airfield. *Everything here is
exaggerated: from the figure-8-turn-tow in gusty mountain breezes in a
narrow Alpine valley, to the unnerving initial thermal that has you
sharing cliff-side thermals with several other gliders. *The most
important item on the training agenda though is at the end of each day:
the landing. *Strong breezes with mountain rotors make every approach
critical, and not making the short runway simply isn't an option. *If
you can make it through the week at Barcelonnette, you're ready for your
300km task.

After your Gold Badge, you're considered trained and qualified. *You're
now good to take the DuoDiscus beyond local with your friends. *After
you have your Diamond Badge you're invited to sign up for the ASH25.

To summarize, it isn't the American instructors that are at fault, it's
the training culture. *New pilots need to be sheparded long after the
initial solo, and it is here that American training is grossly
inadequate.

It's great to see some familiar names here at RAS! *As we say here in
France:

A bient�t!
Chris Fleming
'F2' (no, the other Fox Two!)

Always good to know how the French do things......what's next? *Telling
us to go to England to get our teeth fixed? *Once again American Culture
taking it on the chin.

Walt
A lowly American glider pilot sheep looking for a shepherd.

--
Walt Connelly

I dunno.............do they have pundits telling them all their about
"stupid pilot tricks" too?

Brad