Your First Flight of the Year

The Soaring Safety Foundation (SSF), the training and safety arm of the Soaring Society of America, encourages all US glider pilots of all experience levels to make their "first flight" of the year with an instructor. This does not mean you should fly on January 1, just schedule something more extensive than a one-flight "field check" with a CFIG at your local soaring operation in the next few weeks or when the weather allows.

Review more than just how to get around the pattern and please note that it is not always the student pilots who are having accidents. Not by a long-shot. Reports show quite a few "experienced" pilots and even CFIG's are making serious mistakes that result in accidents. Indeed two FAA Designated Pilot Examiners perished in recent years (but not while giving a checkride.) Whether it is complacency, over-confidence or a poor decision or two, experienced pilots continue to have accidents. It is not necessarily the pilots who fly OLC or race because it can happen on a nice day at the home soaring site. No matter how many flying hours logged, we are all vulnerable to the laws of aerodynamics, gravity and the balance of potential and kinetic energy.

So make it a priority to schedule ground and flight sessions to review items such as your assembly and pre-takeoff checklists, glider-towplane procedures, causes and options regarding Premature Termination of The Tow (PT3), all signals, slack towrope recoveries, goal-oriented flexible landing patterns, preventing takeoff roll and landing roll-out loss of control accidents, stall recognition and spin characteristics of the gliders you may fly in the coming year. Yep, it may take more than one flight!

Finally, the SSF (based on recent accidents) asks you to consider "how low will you go" when attempting a low altitude "save" or delaying entry to the landing pattern. Think about your skills and consider a personal AGL height limit, whether around your home airport or on a cross-country flight. Develop your altitude sight picture (altimeters will deceive) appropriate to the terrain, winds, and the possible lift sources (and sink holes.)

I'm not going to suggest an AGL altitude because you must decide. In 48 years in soaring I've attempted many low saves, some not successful. I haven't bent anything, yet. Someday I'll tell you about them but for now you should ponder your own attempts at low saves or a low pattern flown with a bit less energy than you had hoped for. Ponder the good, the bad and the ugly.. Personal limits are discussed in the articles in SOARING about your personal level of acceptable risk, "Risk Management" and "Aeronautical Decision Making" (ADM). Find these in the magazine archives at www.ssa.org

Maintain the balance of fun and safety.
Stay proficient (much more than "current".)
Consider flying with an instructor on your "first flight" of the new year, or anytime you feel your skills may require a second opinion. Just ask.

Burt
Marfa, Texas USA