The tug conversion was a great success. We have formed a subcommittee to look after this plane and to control the flying of it. We will be instituting procedures and checks in order to increase safety and reliability amongst our plane and pilots.
The old clubhouse in Maitland proved unsuitable and we are at present pursuing another one. Thanks to Herbie for his vigilant eye in this matter.
With regard to the accounts, they are now pinned on the notice board in the clubhouse. Please don't feel shy about discussing outstandings with offenders. Peer pressure is a powerful tool. The lawyer's letters obtained a good response and the hard core left are going to be handed over. Thanks to Graham for spending so much time in getting the computer program organised and doing all the chasing for the money.
Thank you to everybody who responded to the proposals regarding the Cirrus. It's nice to see that members are prepared to get involved in all issues.
As everybody can see flying is picking up. Please put your name on the flying list when you arrive at the club as this list determines the order you fly in. Single seat pilots have a preference launching between 12h00 and 14h00, but this still follows the order of the list. If you are not strapped in when your launch is called and someone else is, the duty pilot's job is to keep the launching going, so you will be missed out. Your turn then follows when you are ready. If you want to jump the queue, you need the permission of the people behind you. If they are not at the launch point you may launch by default.
I would suggest to everyone that we should all arrive by 09h30 and, please students, get the gliders DI'd, cleaned and moved to the launch area promptly so that flying can start as soon as possible. The duty pilot must please allocate someone to help the tug pilot refuel.
Finally, I wish all members and their families a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year and to our three pilots taking part in the Nationals: Graham, Chris and Peter Farrell, Good Luck!
See you at cloud base (if I still recognise my glider)
The meeting will start off with a cost analysis by Graham, followed by a look at safety aspects by Mike. After that there will be open discussion.
If you have any feelings on the subject, please be sure to come to the meeting. If you aren't there, you can't complain if you don't like the decisions reached. In any event, it will be another chance for us to get together. So, let's see you there.
If you are going to be there, contact Bill Griffiths at 701- 2805(h) or 710-2237(w). He needs to know numbers for catering.
First, a few points about looking after a parachute. Parachutes should be kept in a cool, dry place and not subjected to heat or damp. Heat and, more importantly, UV light tend to deteriorate the synthetic materials from which it is manufactured; do not leave it to bake in direct sunlight or in an overheated cockpit. A wet (or even a damp) parachute will usually not open or, at best, have delayed deployment which may have the same end result. Two other substances to which parachutes are allergic are oil and acid (battery or any other acid) which are liquids more often associated with power gliders, tugs and hangar floors.
Ideally a parachute should be protected in a carrying bag and only removed for use; but this is usually impractical with club aircraft. Should a parachute come into contact with any liquid, it must be returned to a qualified rigger for inspection, cleaning where necessary, and repacking. This also applies to any parachute that has rigging lines or parts of the canopy visible and when it has been accidentally opened.
Collision is the most common cause for a bale out. Less usual is structural and mechanical failure (often associated with poor maintenance and exceeding flight and speed limitations).
Obviously, if the glider is completely out of control then you should get out immediately. If you cannot see and assess the damage to the glider and it is not fully controllable, then get out while you still have height.
There are two basic rules for a successful parachute jump.
The first: get out quickly while you still have height (emergency jumps have been made from as low as a 1000 ft agl).
The second:be completely clear of the glider before pulling the ripcord.
There are no concise simple rules for jumping from a disabled aircraft; but it is recommended that you practise climbing out of the glider with the parachute on while on the ground. Obstructions and those items of equipment that snag the parachute should be remembered and avoided should an actual emergency arise.
Having made the decision to jump be sure to:
Jettison the canopy.
Release the safety belt and shoulder harness.
Jump clear, pushing away from the glider. You will fall faster than the glider unless the aircraft is diving.
Look down and locate the ripcord.
After having cleared the glider, grasp the ripcord and pull.
In preparing to land put your feet together and slightly flex the knees. Land on the flat of your feet. If it looks as if a forward or backward landing is going to occur, turn the lower half of the body sideways in order to land sideways with both feet together. Relax and go with the parachute, somersaulting or rolling with the landing.
Collisions are the greatest single cause of having to bale out of a glider and are usually the result of failing to keep an adequate lookout. The moral is clear.
A recent edition of the Instructors Newsletter from John Ellis comments on the topic of Radio and Look Out and is reprinted here as a safety feature.
Oft repeated is the flying priority sequence "Aviate - Navigate Communicate". Notice that "Communicate" is third priority. "Look Out" would be fitted into both "Aviate" and "Navigate", but not "Communicate". Many pilots use radio as a substitute for Look Out, getting their priorities wrong. It's not their fault.
Many instructors perpetuate the problem either by default or because they fly the same way themselves. Also we seem to be subjected to constant "propaganda" that we must call on this frequency and that frequency at frequent intervals because it is "safer" if everybody knows where everybody else is. So, if I am flying over Vryburg, I can avoid conflict with Bloggs over Potchefstroom and Thingee over Parys and possibly sixteen helicopters at low level on a photographic mission somewhere up the Vaal River because I can hear them all constantly broadcasting. Whoopee, I'm safe! Would it not be better if we were subject to constant advice that the way to avoid collisions is to see and be seen Looking Out.
At many clubs I listen to glider pilots calling "downwind" (usually they are not actually in the proper "downwind" position abeam the upwind end of the runway); followed some seconds later by "Base leg" followed often only two seconds later by "Finals". What are they actually achieving?
Sitting behind these pilots as an instructor, it is noticed that usually while making the call, the pilots don't Look Out, either because they are looking for a hand held or their heads are twisted looking down and speaking into a boom mike. Their priority is the radio call, not positioning. This is particularly noticeable around the final turn area where it is doubly important to both look out for other aircraft maybe on straight in approaches and to line up with the landing area.
Yes, it is useful for pilots around the circuit to know where others are. It is useful for persons on the ground to know when someone is soon to land. Our job as instructors is to teach our students how to fit in radio calls without interfering with the far more important job of aviating and collision avoidance and to use radio properly and minimally.
The recent mid-air during a competition happened during or just after a gate call. "I saw the ..... turning towards me as I was busy talking to the ground on the radio. I suddenly felt the impact etc." The other pilot heard the call, looked out, but the glider he saw was not the one making the call. He then saw the impact glider so close that it was impossible to do anything. This is not to take anything away from the quick reactions and skill shown by both after the impact, but it is possible that neither pilot had a 100% Look Out going. Was radio a factor?
Safe flying Charles
You've got it - I'm talking about the duty pilots - not the instructors, not the tug pilots and definitely not the committee.
Yup, on the day, you guys are the main oaks! Without you there ain't no day and ain't no show and all would be considerably peed off. What I'm telling you is: Get out there; throw your weight
around and get the place organised! "Get a life Mate." It is up to the duty pilot to get the show on the road as early as possible and then to get the gliders into the air again as soon as they have landed. If the next pilot on the list is a ditherer - send someone else up. "You snooze, you lose", "Tough takkie".
On the time sheet, there is no such thing as decimal hours, or hours and minutes (too much PT) - only minutes; ie write down 90 min for a tug time and not 1 hour 30 min; in fact "90" will do. At the top of the time sheet there is a place for the tachometer times (both start and finish) for MIV, UUA and a hired tow plane. These must all be filled in every flying day even if the plane is not going to fly and even if there is no difference between the start and finish times and even for the Motor Falke. You also need to fill in the back of the time sheet. Get it?.....Got it?.....Good!
PAXes are strange things: It's great to take them flying, but they get sick and then you still have to get money out of them.
This makes you feel like a dork; but the worst thing is the smelly, wet money attached to your clipboard for the rest of the day - if you don't get the money it will be billed to your account. So: Get the money from the PAX before the flight when you get him/her to sign the indemnity (or temporary membership form with all their details filled in) and if you don't like the pilot, encourage the PAX to sit in the back and hope that he/she gets sick. This way you get the money, it's not smelly and you get revenge for being on duty.
Oh! If you don't get the indemnity signed, you're going to have problems if the pilot screws up!
There will soon be a petrol bowser which must be filled with aviation fuel at the depot, the book filled in and towed to the end of the runway. This will be the duty pilot's responsibility. This will quicken the tug refuelling turnaround time. There will also be a duty pilot's caravan (beds removed) which must also be towed to the end of the runway.
On your duty roster there is a list of duties to do as the duty pilot - some of these have to be done before the flying day or you may find that you get to the airfield and there is no flying - could be embarrassing. I'm also starting a particularly nasty little list of the few people who don't pitch for their duty. So make sure you get there and please give me a call if you need any help at all; but phone someone else if you need to swap duties. Remember: diarise your duties; "get a life" and no "vaak vissies" allowed!
Thanks very much to Bruce Ingram for donating a fridge to the Club and also a big thank you to Otto Tönges for organising the Ka 7 for us. It is in excellent condition and flies extremely well.
Those who have been at the airfield recently will have noticed an old face doing a new job. Paul Ireland has started doing duty as a tuggy and his gliding knowledge is really showing as he gets us up to release height very quickly.
I will be ordering the Soaring Society of America calendar again this year. The calendar costs $8.95 plus postage of $7.50 per parcel.
Obviously if we order a number of calendars at the same time, the postage is shared. If anyone would like to join me in an order, please contact me as soon as possible.
Mike reports that the response to the Safety Quiz has been very disappointing. Maybe the newer members feel that they don't know enough to try it, and the older members feel that they know it all. Well I don't think that is necessarily true. The questions asked relate to matters that all of us should know and I suggest that the "older" members might be shown up by our newer members. Come on, everyone. Give it a go. You might just win 15 minutes of aerotow and that's worth even more now with the improved tugging rates.
Watching some people signalling the tug for a launch leads me to think that they must be immortal. They stand close to the runway and then, when the tug and glider combination start rolling, they continue to stand in that exposed position often not even looking at the glider. If the glider pilot loses control at that point there is a very good chance that the tug signaller will feel the glider before he sees it. I think the problem is that very few of us have seen an incident like this. Well, I have and I can assure you that it all happens extremely quickly. Please, for your own safety, stand a good distance away from the runway and then move away smartly once the combination is rolling, keeping a good eye on the glider until it has passed you.
Another matter, with the increased number of visitors arriving at the field, it is up to us to advise them as to what is safe, where they can drive, park, stand, etc. Be friendly and welcoming, but remember, their safety is our concern.
When operating from 15, keep an eye out for where visitors (and members) park. All cars should be parked beyond the "No Parking" sign. Otherwise it is difficult to get gliders around that final corner.
With the longer flying days of summer now with us, it is important that we consider our batteries. One thing that will help ensure that a battery lasts the full day is to switch the radio off between flights.
Well, I think that the clubhouse opening was a great success. It must have been if the state of my head and stomach the next morning was any indication. Barry Gazzard and Rob Tiffin did the honours with a ribbon made of toilet paper. Barry handed me his camera and asked me to record the event for posterity. I did this with enthusiasm only to discover afterwards that there was no film in the camera!
Later on Barry auctioned off the bar stools very successfully aided by one enthusiastic bidder who had better remain nameless.
Equally successful was the bar operation, ably handled by Ed, who managed to keep everyone well-lubricated. The day's flying was also very good for those of us lucky enough to get into the air and Rob revealed another talent that he has been hiding. He is an excellent glider traffic controller!
In the last issue Paul Bailey told us about the Web page that he set up for us on the Internet. Those of you who have been able to access it will agree that it looks very good. A big thank you is due to Paul for the work he has put into setting it up and keeping it up to date. (This is an area where many Web pages fall down.) We put the last issue of the KK on the Web and plan to do the same for all future issues. As a matter of interest, Martin Korte in Mexico got to read the last issue electronically before many of our local members received their copies by snail mail.
I have been trying out Paul's logbook program, GlideLog. It's very good. If you have a PC, ask him for a copy. It doesn't need much in the way of system resources, (about 600KB of disk space and runs under DOS) and is quite easy to use. It really makes adding up your hours before your annual check a lot easier!
As this is the last issue of the KK for 1995, I would like to take the opportunity to wish you all a happy festive season. Good luck and safe driving to those going to JK Dorp. A big thank you to all my contributors this year. I receive many compliments on the KK and this is thanks to the excellent material I receive from you. Why don't a few more of you try out your literary talents? I look forward to receiving your contributions.
See you at cloudbase Ronnie
Here is some feedback on contacts that have been made via our CGC web page on the net.....
1)I received an E-mail message from someone in England. He and a friend are coming out to South Africa this December and wanted to know about gliding in the Cape. It seems as if our 2 hour thermic flights are too much of an attraction for him to miss. We will be seeing him at our club.
2)We received an email from someone in Cape Town who did not even know there was a gliding club in the area. He last flew 30 years ago in England. Anyway, Ronnie supplied him with details, and he was out at the club the following weekend with a friend. Ed Verpraet looked after them and they had two very good flights.
3)I received an E-mail from a chap at the Uitenhage Club enquiring about our club. He might be coming down for a holiday, and would like to come and fly.
On the soaring newsgroup on the net, I noticed there was a fair amount of chatter on the subject of towplanes, and descent procedures. It seems as if we are not the only club looking for the best way to extend the life of our tug engine.
Anyway, here is some info that I have received. Please note, that these are merely opinions expressed.
jbeattie@idirect.com (Jim Beattie) wrote:
> Our Club is presently using a Citabria 150 H.P. as a tow plane but over
> the past few years have cracked numerous cylinders.
> What we are interested in are tow procedures especially after release and
> the let down to stop shock cooling.
> Thanks
Two useful pieces of instrumentation to add to the towplane panel are a manifold pressure gauge and a CHT gauge. Our towplanes at TSA (2 Pawnees and an L-19) all have them, and one rule of thumb on letdown is to not reduce power below about 14 inches of manifold until you are in the landing pattern.
This is a better way to make sure that you're keeping some "heat" on the engine regardless of the airspeed you use to descend (as opposed to purely watching the tach). Also, when the glider releases, don't slam the throttle closed. A gradual reduction in power (15 to 20 seconds) is the preferred approach.
I think that no matter what you do, any aircraft engine used for towing will not make it to the normal TBO hours that the engine would achieve in standard (cruising flight) use. Full throttle climbs followed by rapid reduced power descents will always take a toll on air cooled cylinders. The best we can do is be gentle with them.
Kevin Renshaw
Texas Soaring Assoc.
(and another opinion.......)
In addition to a Pawnee 235 we use a Super Cub with a 150 HP engine and have had similar problems over the years. However, we have reduced the incidence by attending to the following :
Avoiding repaired/welded cylinders because they generally crack again and in the longer term it seems to be false economy Keeping baffles in good condition and ensuring that the airflow around the engine cools the cylinders correctly
Fitting a shock cooling warning system (a fairly inexpensive addition especially when you consider the cost of new cylinders)
Descent procedures based on the following
2300 RPM at 90-95 knots
Reduce power gradually on base leg but not below 2000 RPM until turning final
Hope this helps.
Mike Durrant
TugMaster Geelong Gliding Club
"Glider Pilots do it quietly"
Open Jantar 1 SZD-38 VH-GOD
And finally for this issue, I thought I would include info on Spanish gliding clubs. (Never know if you will be visiting).
Benabarre is located between the Catalan and Aragonese border in the middle of the Pyrenees. The field offers excellent opportunities for thermal and wave flights. It is operated by the Club Albatros based in Lleida.
Available services - Campsite, Repair shop, Glider renting, Hangar,
Available Gliders - Bergfalke, Pirat, Scuale
Fuentemilanos is located in the north side of the Sierra of Guadarrama, near Segovia. The field offers good thermal, ridge and wave soaring conditions. It is operated by the Club Aeronautico de Segovia and there is an agreement with the Oerlinghausen German School.
Available services - Repair shop, Glider renting, Hangar, Weather Information, Bar and Restaurant, Campsite, Swimming Pool
Available Gliders - Twin Astir, Astir CS 77, LS 7
Igualada is located 60 Km west of Barcelona near the Montserrat mountain. The field is operated by the Club de Vol a Vela d'Igualada.
Available services - Repair shop, Glider renting, Hangar Available Gliders - Bergfalke, Pirat, Swallow, Blanik
Monflorite is located at 10 Km east of Huesca. It was the first Spanish soaring school. The field is located at the Aragonese Pyrenees spurs, 20 km away from the Sierra de Guara. It has excellent conditions for thermal, ridge and wave soaring. You can also enjoy other mountain sports and Green Tourism. The field is operated both by SENASA and Club Nimbus.
Available services - Single and twin rooms with room service, Bar and Restaurant, Swimming pool, Weather information, Repair shop, Glider renting, Hangar
Available Gliders - Twin Astir G103 (5), (SENASA 4, Club Nimbus 1), Blanik (1), Club Nimbus, Pirat (2),
Ocantilde is located at 64 Km from Madrid. The field has two crossed runways. It has excellent conditions for Thermal soaring. The field is operated both by SENASA and Club Clavilentilde.
Available services - Single and twin rooms with room service, Bar and Restaurant, Swimming pool, Weather information, Repair shop, Glider renting, Hangar
Available Gliders - Twin Astir G-103 (12), Astir Club G-102 (1), ASK-21 (6), Dimona motor glider (1)
(PS: Imagine having 12 Twin Astirs and 6 ASK-21's in your club!)
A reminder that our web site address is
http://www.sun.ac.za/~paulb/cgc.html.
For those who would like the "GlideLog" program, let me know, and I'll send it via post. R10 will cover postage and disk. You can run it on any PC.
Until next time, keep on soaring Paul
deflect the discomfort of fielding that old cliche, "Why have you come back so soon?"
1. God didn't want me to have a long flight.
2. I love aerotows but I hate gliding.
3. I realized I was having more fun pushing gliders here on the ground.
4. It was inconvenient for me to spend an extended period away from earth at this time.
5. My flight conflicted with my feeding schedule.
6. I thought we were limited to 10 minute flights in club ships.
7. The tow pilot left me in the wrong thermal.
8. My hand slipped and pulled the release too soon.
9. My watch has stopped. Wasn't I gone for 2 hours?
10. The runway was empty so I thought I'd land and avoid traffic later.
11. I was following a bird that turned out to be a duck.
12. I need landing practice more than flying practice. 13. When I released from tow, the lift seemed to stop. 14. I miss people so much when I'm up there.
15. It was time to move the lawn sprinklers.
16. Lady Di called on my cellular and wants to meet me.
17. I wanted to hear what you'd say if I came back after only 10 minutes.
18. My vario is reading backwards.
19. It's so lonely up there!
20. My account went into debt and the lift just stopped.
The fitting of the 180 hp engine into the Super Cub, although it took a long time, was definitely worth the wait. The climb rates and handling of the airplane have improved markedly and I am sure that the glider pilots will be happier with their shorter tows.
The tug plane will only be around, however, as long as it is looked after properly. For this reason a new letdown procedure has been established (Actually it is not new. Alan Proctor initiated it a time ago.) It is, however, a critical procedure that MUST be followed by ALL tug pilots during ALL letdowns.
The procedure entails the following:
After glider release, throttle back to 2100 RPM at the same time not allowing the speed to go above 80 mph. This speed and power setting must be maintained for at least 2 minutes or until the CHT has dropped to about 170 degrees Celsius. After this throttle back to about 1700 RPM and descend normally either using sideslips or steep turns. The speed must at no stage be allowed to go above 100 MPH.
Remember it is in your own interest to look after the engine and the aircraft.
A few other vital actions that must be performed are:
Always check that the CARB HEAT is closed on final and during taxi. If it is open, unfiltered dusty air can enter the engine and cause damage to the cylinders.
MINIMIZE operations on the dirt. Push the aircraft from the refuelling bay or the hangar to the runway; do not taxi on the taxiways; rather fly from the 33 end of the runway to the 15 threshold when operating on 15. Always try to land and take off on the tarred part of the runway.
Remember all checks including the pre-takeoff power check.
At the end of each day's flying, the following must be done:
1) Refuel the aircraft to avoid condensation in the tanks
2) Clean the air filter by removing it, shaking out the dust and refitting it using grease on the seal to ensure an airtight fit.
3) Do a good after-flight check and please report all damage or other problems to me.
Please also clean the oil and dirt off the fuselage, so that the aircraft will remain in good condition for a long time.
I will be putting all of the above into a manual for all tug pilots soon.
I would also like to appeal to all glider pilots to help the tug pilot to push the aircraft and to help with the refuelling. Also, if the tug pilot is asked to be at the airfield to fly at a certain time, please make sure that your glider is ready to fly at this time so that the tug pilot does not have to wait.
Thanks for your co-operation and good flying. Chris
Up- to-date LS1, very good condition and well-equipped: O2, parachute, tow-out gear, wing covers, factory-equipped Pfeiffer trailer and 55hp 2-stroke Hirth engine which gives very good climb performance and re-starts easily in the air. Price R125000. Contact Graham Anderson at (021) 96-2078.
Remember that the prize which will be announced at the 1996 AGM is a voucher for a 15 minute aerotow(s).
NAME:_____________________________.
1) You are flying towards a number of gliders thermalling together. You join the gaggle by turning more gently on the outside of the group and then easing into the group. T..F
2) The highest glider in the thermal sets the direction of turn.T..F
3) When leaving a thermal you fly across the centre of the thermal as it is now the responsibility of those continuing to thermal to clear your path. T..F
4) You should try to position yourself directly underneath the fastest climbing glider so that you may use it as a vario while maintaining a good lookout. T..F
5) When soaring the ridge you always turn away from the ridge. T..F
6) When overtaking another glider on the ridge you overtake between the ridge and the other glider. T..F
7) When two gliders approach one another head-on on the ridge, the glider with the ridge to the left has the right of way. T..F
8) Flying the ridge the best lift is often found downwind of the crest of the ridge. T..F
9) Orographic cloud may form below the glider flying on a ridge. This is not cause to leave the ridge. T..F
10) Soaring the wave you have climbed until you are soaring the leading edge of the lenticular cloud, you suddenly are engulfed in cloud. You deploy full airbrakes, lower landing gear and take hands and feet off controls until clear of cloud. (Socalled "benign spiral mode"). T..F
11) You have climbed above the cloud tops in wave. The wave-gap is stable and will not ever close below you. T..F
12) The ambient temperature while wave flying may be so low as to impair your ability to control the glider. T..F
13) Oxygen supplementation is only necessary above 15000 ft. T..F
14) When flying in wave you should consider the possibility of control icing interfering with the controllability of the glider. T..F
15) The recovery from a fully developed spin is as follows: Full opposite rudder, pause, move the stick forward until the spin stops, then centralise controls and recover from the dive. T..F
16) You are thermalling and, while maintaining a coordinated turn, you progressively slow the glider until it stalls. This will usually result in a spin. T..F
17) You are flying cross country. You are in such a position that there are no immediately available suitable fields for an outlanding. You should search into wind, since the lower ground speed gives better search opportunities. T..F
18) You are on a cross-country and are faced with an outlanding. Road access to the chosen field is your first priority in field selection. T..F
19) Faced with a sloping field for an outlanding the best choice is to land uphill even if this is downwind. T..F
20) You are getting low and the outlanding is now inevitable. You should plan a circuit into your chosen field to be about 500 - 600 ft agl opposite the threshold. T..F.
21) BONUS QUESTION. The World Gain of Height record of 12894 m was established in February 1961 and has remained unbroken since. T..F
Notes: The judges' decision is final. Members of the Flying Panel are not eligible to enter the competition. Any correspondence will be willingly entered into and published in the KK.
You could win 15 Minutes of aerotow so give this a go.