Letting Go of the Windsock …Training for Cross-Country Soaring Curt Lewis - 95 CFIG / ASEL Feb/07

The Joy of Soaring

Objective Identify pilot skills and experiences necessary to build the competence and confidence required for safe and rewarding cross-country soaring flight.

Goals Bridge the Comfort Gap (Local -to- XC Soaring) –Assist Instructors –Assist Clubs & FBOs Motivate –Build Confidence –Increase Initiative Grow Sport Cross-Country (XC) Soaring –Get Pilots Addicted

Why Should We Soar XC? Survey Says You Already Want To A Rare Kind of Freedom A Rare Kind of Commitment A Rare Kind of Reward

Why We Don’t Try XC Soaring The Primary Reason We Don’t Soar Cross-Country? Fear of Death!

Why We Don’t Try XC Soaring Fear of Club! (Not Risk Free) –PERSONAL GLIDER IS HUGE BENEFIT Landing Out (Off-Field or Airport) Getting Lost Retrieve Preparations & Cost Taking the First Step

FAA FAA Fundamentals of Instruction “Probably the greatest single barrier to effective communication in the teaching process is a lack of common (recent) experience.”

FAA FAA Fundamentals of Instruction T-Ball - Throw, Catch, Hit, Run - First Applied to a “Game” - Nobody is keeping score Throw/Catch (Easy) … Game (Difficult) Goal #1 - Bridge the Gap

FAA FAA Fundamentals of Instruction Is our lack of recent experience “learning” XC … … a barrier to us “teaching” XC? I believe this to be a significant factor influencing the success of sport XC training.

Fledgling XC Pilots What are they comfortable & confident with? –Home Operations –Thermalling Skills –Endurance –Navigation (?) –Radio Communications (?)

Fledgling XC Pilots What might they NOT be comfortable & confident with … & why? –Off-Field Landings? Little or no experience –Unfamiliar Airports & Operations? Little or no experience

Key Question? If it could be guaranteed that you would not “land out”, would you be more likely to soar cross-country?

Fledgling XC Pilots It’s probably safe to say that the fear of “landing-out” is the greatest obstacle to overcome.

What NOT comfortable with & why (cont.): –Off-Field Landings? Little or no experience –Unfamiliar Airports & Operations? Little or no experience –Navigation? Little or no experience –Radio Communications? Little or no experience

Preparation Physical Self XC Logistics Sailplane Capabilities/Experience

Preparation - Physical Self Physical Comfort / Needs –Hydration System –Relief System (Practice!) –Clothes / Hat / UV Protection –Sunglasses –Food

Preparation Physical Self XC Logistics Sailplane Capabilities/Experience

Preparation – XC Logistics Network of Help / Support Club Member Initiative Trailer & Tow Vehicle Prep Cell Phone & Phone Numbers Good Road Maps / GPS Nav System

Preparation Physical Self XC Logistics Sailplane Capabilities/Experience

Preparation - Sailplane Comfortable & Quiet as Possible Sectional Chart (Carry and Use Always) –Chart Rings

Standard / 15M Sport XC Reduce LD by 10 for Margin

Preparation - Sailplane Comfortable & Quiet as Possible Sectional Chart (Carry and Use Always) Mounted Handheld GPS? (~$100)

GPS for Distance Measuring Set to display (9) Nearest Waypoints (Distance/Bearing) before takeoff Should be mounted Don’t touch it

Preparation - Sailplane Comfortable & Quiet as Possible Cell Phone / Phone Numbers Sectional Chart (Carry and Use Always) Mounted Handheld GPS (~$100) Weak-Link 100’- 200’ Poly Rope (Gnd Tow or Tie Down) First Aid Kit

Preparation Physical Self XC Logistics Sailplane Capabilities/Experience

Preparation - Capabilities/Experience SSA Bronze Badge / Soaring Skills –2 Hour Duration, Accuracy Lndgs, XC Test –MANY Non-XC Pilots are capable of this Do Your Homework! –SSA XC Handbook for Students Dean Carswell

The Joy of Soaring Stop here and look around Fly Upwind Use For Concept Only “CREEP” HOME Cross-Country? Get more comfortable … being uncomfortable.

Cambridge Software Free Download Sky Soaring Beloit Belvidere Decalb Hinckley Olson 122 Miles

4 Mile Radius Free Cambridge Software

Preparation - Capabilities/Experience SSA Bronze Badge / Soaring Skills Weather Awareness –Changing conditions –Wind shift –Over-Development (Ahead & Behind) –Storms

Preparation - Capabilities/Experience SSA Bronze Badge / Soaring Skills Weather Awareness Full Command of Landing Elements

Landing Patterns What is the PRIMARY Objective of Every Landing PATTERN? Pattern -“a predictable route or movement”

Landing Patterns The Landing Pattern Rectangle –A Rectangle is NOT a Requirement, it’s a “Pattern”

FAA FAA A Glider is an Aircraft … not an Airplane

Landing Patterns The Landing Pattern Rectangle –Fly by Angles (the “Cone”) –Ignore the Altimeter (Stop turning base at 600’) –Stop turning base at the farmhouse –Left - Right - Abbreviated Patterns –Fly The Plane … Then the Pattern

Landing Patterns Dean Carswell:

Landing at Other Airports How do we improve pilot confidence?

FAA FAA Fundamentals of Instruction 1st Lesson Should be a Pleasurable Experience “A flight to a nearby airport is a good, positive approach for a first flight lesson.” XC Soaring Law of Primacy

Landing at Other Airports Elements of Landing at Other Airports –Spotting from the Air  Always fly with a chart and PRACTICE  Triangulate to estimate locations of distant airports

Landing at Other Airports Elements of Landing at Other Airports –Spotting from the Air –Runway Types: Practice Angles other than N/S or E/W Hard Surface (Noises), Narrower  Use the Hard Surface Runway! (Not the ditch beside it)  Stop on center-line… pull glider off (beware lights!)  Use chalk center-line on grass for practice

Landing at Other Airports Elements of Landing at Other Airports –Spotting from the Air –Runway Types –Communications Get comfortable with the radio –Who * Where * What –Say GLIDER! !!! Aviate - Navigate - Communicate !!!

Landing at Other Airports Elements of Landing at Other Airports –Spotting from the Air –Runway Types –Communications –The Retrieve Unassisted Takeoff Good for tow pilots also Simple but Important Experience

Landing at Other Airports “This experience, and the confidence it brings, may be the single most important factor in allowing a pilot to successfully develop cross- country soaring skills.” If you have experience … PLEASE TALK ABOUT IT!

Preparation - Capabilities/Experience SSA Bronze Badge / Soaring Skills Weather Awareness Landing at Other Airports Off-Field Landings –R–Read –T–Talk to those with Experience!

Off-Field Landing #1 CCSC

Off-Field Landing #1

Off-Field Landing #2

Off-Field Landing #3

Off-Field Landing #4

Preparation - Capabilities/Experience Off-Field Landings If you have experience … PLEASE TALK ABOUT IT! …and Airport Landouts!

Preparation Physical Self XC Logistics Sailplane Capabilities/Experience CONFIDENCE

Conclusion Where do we go from here? from here?

Conclusion 4. Instructors Bridge the Gap What are we forgetting due to lack of recent common experience?

Conclusion 3. Club & FBO General Support Commitment to XC Soaring / Training Support & Recognition for Individual Efforts Active Members / Customers 4. Instructors Bridge the Gap

Conclusion 2. Club & FBO Financial Support No “Fines” for Landing Out Normal Tow Charge for Short Aero-Retrieves? Return on Investment 3. Club & FBO General Support 4. Instructors Bridge the Gap

Conclusion 1. Experience Multiple Airports / Retrieves AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE !!! 2. Club & FBO Financial Support 3. Club & FBO General Support 4. Instructors Bridge the Gap

FAA FAA Fundamentals of Instruction 1st Lesson Should be a Pleasurable Experience “A flight to a nearby airport is a good, positive approach for a first flight lesson.”

Review: Goals Bridge the Gap –Easy-to-Difficult Motivate –Build Confidence Growth of XC Soaring –Get Pilots Addicted Identify pilot skills and experiences necessary to build the competence and confidence required for safe and rewarding cross-country soaring flight. The Joy of Soaring

Letting Go of the Windsock a rare kind of freedom … a rare kind of commitment … a rare kind of reward …

Letting Go of the Windsock …Training for Cross-Country Soaring Curt Lewis - 95 CFIG / ASEL THANK YOU! Questions?