Silver Badge questions

I would like to attempt the duration and altitude silver badge.

how do I go about finding an observer willing to work with me?

how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

thanks, bob

On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 5:53:54 PM UTC-5, Bob Pasker wrote:
I would like to attempt the duration and altitude silver badge.

how do I go about finding an observer willing to work with me?

how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

thanks, bob

The SSA.org website will cover requirements.
A Replogle barograph (I believe it needs a "current" calibration) is enough to document the flight.
Nothing fancy here (stated from one that did up to diamond goal & distance using a barograph and ACTUAL film camera's!!!!!..... just need a Diamond altitude for a full set.... all done from Middletown, NY).

On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 2:53:54 PM UTC-8, Bob Pasker wrote:
how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

Assuming you are in US, one option is the FlyWithCE FR300, which is an SSA approved "GPS Position Recorder". This is good for your Silver and Gold badges, OLC, and SSA contests. At $140 won't put a big dent in your wallet (and is not much more than the cost of getting a dusty old barograph calibrated):

http://wingsandwheels.com/old-site/f...xx_gps_dat.htm

Just remember that you need an extra 100 meters for your badge altitude gains...

Marc

you can get it calibrated AFTER the flight!

Cookie


On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 6:00:23 PM UTC-5, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 5:53:54 PM UTC-5, Bob Pasker wrote:
I would like to attempt the duration and altitude silver badge.

how do I go about finding an observer willing to work with me?

how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

thanks, bob

The SSA.org website will cover requirements.
A Replogle barograph (I believe it needs a "current" calibration) is enough to document the flight.
Nothing fancy here (stated from one that did up to diamond goal & distance using a barograph and ACTUAL film camera's!!!!!..... just need a Diamond altitude for a full set.... all done from Middletown, NY).

that looks pretty good, thanks.

but there is a table titled "Flight Recorder FR300 Quick list of certificates" that does now show that the device can be used for SSA Silver and Gold badges, although this is contradicted in the text.

it also means I need windows (which I don't currently have)

On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 6:52:11 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 2:53:54 PM UTC-8, Bob Pasker wrote:
how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

Assuming you are in US, one option is the FlyWithCE FR300, which is an SSA approved "GPS Position Recorder". This is good for your Silver and Gold badges, OLC, and SSA contests. At $140 won't put a big dent in your wallet (and is not much more than the cost of getting a dusty old barograph calibrated):

http://wingsandwheels.com/old-site/f...xx_gps_dat.htm

Just remember that you need an extra 100 meters for your badge altitude gains...

Marc

Observer: Just ask around! Any SSA member should be qualified, and willing. You do all the "grunt" work and get the forms and fill them out properly...so the observer needs only to "supervise" and sign. Don't become a "pest"

Flight recorder:
1) Just ask! Somebody will probably have something they can lend you.

2)Or... Most pilots join some sort of glider club. Most clubs have such equipment available to members..

3)Some commercial glider operators offer "rental" of flight recorders for a "small fee"

4)If you wish to use a simple old fashioned mechanical baragraph, I bet somebody would give you one for the asking....Back in the day, they were in the range of $400 and up! Nowadays they are used for Christmas tree decorations, door stops, and to start nostalgic conversations. No actual monetary value....My club has 6 of 'em sitting in the closet in the equipment shed!

5) Consider buying your own equipment....this is something you may find useful for years to come. Some used ones come up now and then...The "fly with CE" is a good deal...maybe colibri II....etc?


Cookie


On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 5:53:54 PM UTC-5, Bob Pasker wrote:
I would like to attempt the duration and altitude silver badge.

how do I go about finding an observer willing to work with me?

how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

thanks, bob

On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 4:21:35 PM UTC-8, Bob Pasker wrote:
but there is a table titled "Flight Recorder FR300 Quick list of certificates" that does now show that the device can be used for SSA Silver and Gold badges, although this is contradicted in the text.

It is pretty much impossible to find the position recorder approval documents on the SSA web site (someone may want to consider fixing that), it is much easier to find on the FAI web site:

http://www.fai.org/component/phocado...proval-ssa-v3a

Marc

IIRC, unless something has changed, not just any SSA member is qualified
as an observer. I believe the observer has to at least hold a badge
leg. Airport managers also qualify and, perhaps, an FBO. Just be sure
to get it right. It's a bummer to have a good flight disqualified on a
technicality but the technicalities are part of the process. Don't cut
corners.

Good luck!


On 2/21/2015 5:31 PM, Cookie wrote:
Observer: Just ask around! Any SSA member should be qualified, and willing. You do all the "grunt" work and get the forms and fill them out properly...so the observer needs only to "supervise" and sign. Don't become a "pest"

Flight recorder:
1) Just ask! Somebody will probably have something they can lend you.

2)Or... Most pilots join some sort of glider club. Most clubs have such equipment available to members..

3)Some commercial glider operators offer "rental" of flight recorders for a "small fee"

4)If you wish to use a simple old fashioned mechanical baragraph, I bet somebody would give you one for the asking....Back in the day, they were in the range of $400 and up! Nowadays they are used for Christmas tree decorations, door stops, and to start nostalgic conversations. No actual monetary value....My club has 6 of 'em sitting in the closet in the equipment shed!

5) Consider buying your own equipment....this is something you may find useful for years to come. Some used ones come up now and then...The "fly with CE" is a good deal...maybe colibri II....etc?


Cookie


On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 5:53:54 PM UTC-5, Bob Pasker wrote:
I would like to attempt the duration and altitude silver badge.

how do I go about finding an observer willing to work with me?

how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

thanks, bob

--
Dan Marotta

Here's the skinny on OO....so just about (but not necessarily) every SSA member


A:
In the United States, the SSA has established the following requirements for a person to act as an Official Observer (OO) for any FAI Badge or Record flight or SSA State Record or Awards flight:

Must hold at least an SSA B Badge or higher SSA Badge (C or Bronze Badge), or a leg of an FAI Badge (e.g., Silver Altitude) or completed FAI Silver, Gold or Diamond Badge.
Must have a working knowledge of the FAI Sporting Code as it pertains to gliders (Section 3) including Annex C which is a guide to the Code.
Must be an SSA Member.
An Airport Manager may also act as an Official Observer





On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 7:44:53 PM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
IIRC, unless something has changed, not just any SSA member is qualified
as an observer. I believe the observer has to at least hold a badge
leg. Airport managers also qualify and, perhaps, an FBO. Just be sure
to get it right. It's a bummer to have a good flight disqualified on a
technicality but the technicalities are part of the process. Don't cut
corners.

Good luck!


On 2/21/2015 5:31 PM, Cookie wrote:
Observer: Just ask around! Any SSA member should be qualified, and willing. You do all the "grunt" work and get the forms and fill them out properly...so the observer needs only to "supervise" and sign. Don't become a "pest"

Flight recorder:
1) Just ask! Somebody will probably have something they can lend you.

2)Or... Most pilots join some sort of glider club. Most clubs have such equipment available to members..

3)Some commercial glider operators offer "rental" of flight recorders for a "small fee"

4)If you wish to use a simple old fashioned mechanical baragraph, I bet somebody would give you one for the asking....Back in the day, they were in the range of $400 and up! Nowadays they are used for Christmas tree decorations, door stops, and to start nostalgic conversations. No actual monetary value....My club has 6 of 'em sitting in the closet in the equipment shed!

5) Consider buying your own equipment....this is something you may find useful for years to come. Some used ones come up now and then...The "fly with CE" is a good deal...maybe colibri II....etc?


Cookie


On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 5:53:54 PM UTC-5, Bob Pasker wrote:
I would like to attempt the duration and altitude silver badge.

how do I go about finding an observer willing to work with me?

how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

thanks, bob

--
Dan Marotta

I'll second the use of the FlywithCE FR300. I purchased one for this past season and was able to obtain my Silver Badge with it. It does require you to use the associated Logbook to download the .igc's from the recorder. Naturally the Logbook program is only available for a Windows based computer.. This did force me to finally install Bootcamp and Windows 7 on my iMac. But use of the Recorder is extremely easy. I just turn it on about 10 minutes or so before takeoff and turn it off a couple of minutes after landing and that's it.