I'm sure the best news to all who arrive at Worcester is to see MIV back on the tugging line. Our thanks go to Graham Anderson and Dave Starke for keeping tabs on the insurance arrangements. It was not an easy task. Also thanks to Gary Pottage for arranging the Pawnee. I must say, even at R10/minute we were coming out at approximately the same cost we would pay for an MIV tow. Anyone know of any Pawnees for sale?
Since the last issue I have taken a brief two day trip up to Gauteng to attend the Soaring Society AGM, along with André. We gave good input at the AGM and once again showed that although we are 1500km away, we are a big club that is on the move. Interestingly enough, most of the clubs showed an increase in membership, with one club showing a 100% growth rate this past year.
Apart from the general issues that were discussed, we were presented with a very disturbing scenario. The government is creating a new aviation body whose aim is to control all non-commercial aviation in SA. The result could be that a new GPL will cost you nearly R500, an LS1 about R1000 and a lost GPL a couple of hundred. I could go on. Basically this new committee needs R39 million, and guess where they plan to get it? Enough said. We all voted, along with the rest of the Aeroclub disciplines, to hire an advocate to oppose this move through the legal channels.
Closer to home things are chugging along at a steady pace. Once again, André and his team have completed a successful ab-initio course (see separate report), with eight school pupils on the Daimler-Benz scholarship and four others participants. Should anyone know of an aspirant school going pilot, get in touch with Jacques Willig and organise a free appraisal flight for the pupil. Who knows, from these ranks might emerge a Scully Levine clone.
Hans Prüter, club PRO, had a nice slot on Cape Talk 567 about the CGC, and who knows Hans, maybe you missed your calling as our local radio personality.
Thanks to all who made the annual work party a success. A lot was covered and our trailer shelter and winch hanger are nearing completion, although the enthusiasm of club members is declining. André or Trevor will be calling on you to lend a hand to put the final touches to these structures soon.
With the club growing and new members joining, our number one concern must be SAFETY, not only in the air but on the ground. Hangar rash, dings in the wings from badly placed wing dollies and other damages are inexcusable. Please be careful. Remember too that the gliders are your equipment.
With Rudi Schurkes back from Europe, the K13 will resume its overhaul. If you are keen to find out how to cover a glider, or fix wing ribs and much more, please contact Graham Levitt or Dave Starke. They would love to have you join the refurbishing team.
Good luck to all those flying away at the end of the year. Those staying local, do remember the Winelands Week between Christmas and New Year.
Firstly congratulations to Rika Olivier on winning the SSSA Mike Driver award. This annual award is for up-and-coming young pilots who have distinguished themselves and who fly club gliders. Now with a GPL in her grubby little hand as well as a pax rating, who can say that Rika has not distinguished herself? We hope this cash award makes it possible for her either to fly at Gariep or compete in the Nationals.
Congratulations also to André Leeb du Toit for receiving the SSSA Airmanship Award for his commitment to instruction and advancement of gliding through the many ab-initio courses he has organised (and continues to organise). These camps form the pool from which many of our new members are recruited and ensure a continued interest in gliding in this region - important when one considers the global decline in gliding interest. In addition, André's work as CFI, official observer, maintenance man and Regional Approved Person for the SSSA, administering LS1's and related technical matters, are all part of his commitment to the movement. Many of us (like me!) provide talk, but people like André carry the club forward.
Also on our list of achievers this month are Claudia Schuster for her first solo (on the winch), and Mark Siegelberg who made it to Swellendam (well almost, but then it was in thermals!) thus completing his practical GPL requirements. Congratulations all of you!
If you notice a slight difference to the type-face in this edition, it's due to our new printer, kindly supplied at cost by Mike Jones of Open Networking Services CC (suppliers of hardware and software, as well as network design, installation and all related support services). [This does not apply to the online version - Webmaster]
Those of you that have expressed opposition to the ballot system flying list can take heart. This new system, proposed by Alan O'Regan at the last AGM and supported by the majority of those present at that meeting, was duly implemented on the members' instructions. Over a number of months it has gained little support but produced a lot of complaints and opposition, even from some who originally voted in favour of it. The committee has therefore bowed under pressure and resolved to revert to the original "first come, first served" flying list with immediate effect. Duty pilots please note that as there are hundreds of "ballot type" flying lists in stock, these will have to be used in the mean time.
To continue with mundane matters, we are still battling to keep the rubbish bins at the airfield empty. Without winging, please will you all help by taking all your rubbish home with you, to where you are no doubt already paying for a municipal cleansing service. If you have contractors working at the airfield, please make sure that they are aware of this as well. Sorry about all this but it's in the interests of a better club!
On the membership front we welcome Rien de Muijnk, who previously flew gliders and tugged at Baragwanath and WGT, and has had a few years of sailing in between. We are sad to have to say good-bye to Peter Henochsberg and John Creedy. While on the subject of members, please will members refrain from using the club list for their own business canvassing purposes, as I have recently had two complaints in this regard.
To those of you who remember Dr Hertzog from Gariep in 1989 and 91 where he flew Rudi Schurkes' ASW17, he sends greetings (daedalus.25@bluewin.ch).
News from Ronnie Moore is that he recently attended an air show at Edwards Air Force Base in the Californian desert, about 120 miles from LA where he now lives. He says the entire trip from his home to the base was on multi-lane highways, including the 15 miles between the entrance to the base and the parking area. On static display was the B 747 that carries the Space Shuttle, the SR71 Blackbird, a B1 bomber, a U2 follow-on, a Flying Fortress, an F117 Stealth Fighter and many, many others. Aircraft which took part in the flying displays included a C17, C130, F15, F16, F117, B52, AT6, N9M, B1, Zlin-242, T38, Edge 360, Edge 540, P51, Su26, Zlin-50, U2 and the B2 Stealth Bomber. Privately owned Mig 15's, 17's and a Corsair also took part, though the Mig 21 due to fly looked a bit like a blow-torch when it refused to start, though no damage was done. Unfortunately the star of the show, the F22, did not make its appearance though this did nothing to detract from a stunning show. Ronnie, in Cape Town this week, Sends regards to his friends at the club.
It's now so long since we had that hilarious evening when Barry Gazzard hosted the American auction where the clubhouse bar chairs were "sold" to raise funds for the club. Most people have by now probably forgotten the names of those who were to be commemorated by the chairs. Thanks to Dave Starke, each chair now has a brass plate bearing the name of the person whose memory we wish to honour, as well as the donor's name in brackets. They are: John Andrews (JJ Rabie), Bill Bean (Trevor Johnson), Betty Beatty (Juliana Blom), Pat Beatty (André Leeb du Toit), Wim Leyte (Rob Tiffin), Brian Liegner (Chris Way), Gerry Matchett (Steve Matchett), Jan Stastny (Peter Farrell) and Heinie von Michaelis (Herbie Oberhofer). Brings back some old memories, doesn't it?
Friday 16th October saw the arrival of no less than five "new" gliders at Worcester. Reinholt Lawrenz now has his magnificent DG500M, Rudi Schurkes has a K7, there is another K7 and a K6, but the most spectacular of them all is Otto Tönges' friend Hilmar Fuchs' ASH25, ET (the extra terrestrial, because that's what it looks like with its 26m wingspan). Welcome back to FAWC, Hilmar, we hope the weather on Sunday 18th was good enough to whet your soaring appetite.
Otto has once again been most generous to the club by bringing in from Germany a pair of Bavarian tables complete with four matching benches, cushions and table cloths for the clubhouse. They have already been put to good use by the Saturday overnighters. Thank you Otto!
Just when I thought I was doomed to convivial conversation from the rear seat forever, Charles climbed out and bade me good luck (Adieu?)
A well orchestrated charade kept me in the dark until I realised that our chief safety officer, having muttered something about a twisted safety strap, was now outside the cockpit instead of inside!
My option on the earlier cable break could, in retrospect, have been cleverer and when I overheard Andre suggest to Charles "take him up for some stalls and spins", I thought, here we go, back to the drawing board! Mind you, it should have dawned on me, Mike Pascoe lurking in the background peeping owlishly over the rims of his glasses, the CFI holding the wing(?) And of course that huge Cheshire grin on Andre’s face, all confirming my impending moment of truth!
The flight itself I will remember all my life. Yes, I was nervous, I cannot remember being so aware of trim levers, altimeters, yaw strings, they were everywhere! And the airfield? How can you lose 1.6 km of tarmac?
The absence of considerable weight under the centre of gravity was noticeable during aerotow or was it the sweaty palms? Soon however the tug deserted me and left me circling smoothly over the chicken farm, a wonderfully gratifying experience. I became very aware of my own frailty, the total dependence on what I’d been taught, and how much had actually sunk in! Suddenly the urge to return to terrafirma became overwhelming, and high key point was joined quickly, if a little high! The downwind leg produced very little height loss, again possibly the weight factor, and so I dumped at the start of base. Aware that many discerning eyes were upon me, I decided to abandon the beat up and landed safely.
My thanks to all who have encouraged me during moments of dark despondency, and there were many! Particular thanks to our CFI whose help and encouragement fortified my resolve. To Charles Torrance, for knowing when the time was right, and to Alison for keeping a straight face when she must have known all along!
So now it’s one down and lots to go, safe gliding and see you on the ridge.
Sunday August 2nd dawned windless, with faint wisps of cirrus presaging the passage of a cold front. The possibility that today was ‘Silver C day’ was treated with equanimity: after all, this was to be only my second attempt, whereas Rika was already into double-figures! After breakfast, GJJ was unhurriedly washed, barograph sealed and trailer inspected whilst keeping a lazy eye on the weather.
At noon, a slothful tow was taken to Victoria Peak behind CKP, releasing at an indicated 3700'. A couple of passes of the ridge indicated a steady +2.5 from an 80km.h-1 NW wind, and the barograph was notched at 3100'. I was joined minutes later by the ever-determined Rika in GUC. Climbing easily to 5500' my first foray across the valley encountered weak wave at 5200' reaching about halfway to Rawsonville. Plugging on as far as Goudini brought no better and, after returning to the ridge for a top up, I climbed slowly in the weak stuff into the Cape Town TMA. Precisely according to Murphy’s Flight Plan, the moment Cape Town Approach cleared me via the airwaves to FL100, I managed to aviate myself out of the air waves, exiting embarrassingly from the TMA and falling down to 5300', salt being rubbed in by Rika simultaneously announcing her departure for Swellies! Whilst I was recovering back at the ridge, Rika reported climbing steadily in wave over the bend in the river near Kwaggaskloof dam, persuading me that this was the place to be.
After reaching 7000' in weak wave over the Brandvlei dam wall, I set off for the river bend, arriving at 6300' with wave nowhere to be found. A fruitless and increasingly desperate search for wave followed, before turning upwind at 5300' and beating a retreat toward FAWC, 17km distant. Flying up the middle of Brandvlei dam, keeping my options open for a left-turn back to the ridge or an ignominous base-leg approach, I considered an alternative plan.
Sneaking back in front of the ridge at 3100', 2¼ hrs into the flight and back at square one, I elected to go over the top in search of Vic Peak’s primary if I could gain enough height on the ridge, entertainment during the ridge climb being provided over the ether by Rika falling down at Ashton. At 6000', I increased speed to 140km.h-1 and went over the top on the SW side of the peak, encountering some rotor, but 30 bumpy seconds and 800' later, popped out into steady wave at +3m.s-1. The best lift was centred over the speedboat club and, once salutations had again been exchanged with Cape Town, I climbed steadily to FL140. At 15h00 I was finally committed to the dirty deed, and set course for Robertson, which was overflown 19 minutes later at FL120. The route was lined with lennies, from which I took advantage by slowing considerably in their associated wave. I arrived overhead Swellendam at FL95, 14 minutes after leaving Robertson.
Descending through 6000' I was jolted out of my smug satisfaction by contact with strong rotor, my barograph breaking it’s retaining straps and being tossed over my shoulder into my lap! A brief but violent upwind spiral descent followed, culminating in a brisk downwind dash and a crabbed base leg-cum-final towards runway 33, the rotor only ceasing as I passed through the windshear at 100'AGL. I had made it, but after rolling to a stop I was left wondering if there was any blood left in my adrenalin stream.
The weather played ball and another very successful training course was held from Monday 28th September to Friday the 2nd October 1998. It was a pleasure to have so many teenagers - thanks to the Daimler-Benz Wings for Youth sponsorship scheme. Eight sponsored pupils participated, including Martin's son, still too young to qualify for sponsorship. On the other end of the scale we enjoyed having Jack, 74yrs, and Jon, somewhere in his mid-whatevers!
For the record, the D-Benz pupils were Nico Prinsloo, Chris du Toit, Simon Platt, Simon Vos (who in exchange taught me kite flying!) Elliot Moore, Marius Kieck, Guillaume Viljoen and Pieter Siebert. Nicholas Gruenert, Richard Sutcliffe, Jon Driver-Jowitt and Jack Warrener made up the dozen.
Some statistics: We did 23.1 hours of aerotowing, 12.1 hours of M/Falke and 72.3 hours of gliding tuition. Most pupils achieved between 12 and 16 flights - proof of the success of the course.
My thanks to all the following groups and individuals: firstly the instructors, namely Ian Vivian, Charles Torrance, Paul Bailey and Alex Kielczynski, who all gave their time for part of the course, especially Martin Grunert and Hans Jordan who helped me for the full duration of the course; tug pilots Kobus Nieuwoudt and Gary Pottage as well as Sandy who tugged on the last afternoon; Ed Verpraet for providing his services as duty pilot as well as Hubert Spaun, Rika Olivier and Sebastian Siebert for helping with this on various days and finally those club members who made their accommodation available to course participants.
Most important of all, to Marieta and Cornell Smit who worked from 6.30am to 9.00pm every day to keep us all so well fed, my sincere thanks (and for the weeks of preparation before the course). We hope you will do it again next time. Finally thanks to Pieter Truter, President of the WFC, for opening their clubhouse to us for the duration of the course, and to Rico Suter for the use of his tv/video.
At the closing gathering on Friday afternoon, course certificates designed by Charles were presented to all the pupils. Following the presentation, the pupils, directed by Nico, sang an impromptu ditty to the instructors, which in Jordanese German, went something like this -
Hunnéd Hunnéd, Hunnéd Hunnéd
Hunnéd Hunnéd Hunnéd
More rudda!
More rudda!
More rudda!
Hunnéd hunnéd-
Now why you do dat?
[I think you had to be there - Webmaster]
The experience of flying at a "performance camp" is always a great one. One has an opportunity to meet many experts and to learn so much from them that these camps are always worthwhile. The organisation at these camps or comps is usually quite different from what you usually do at the club, so listen carefully to the briefings and if you don’t understand what is expected, do ask.
I would like to highlight some points of special importance. At camps or comps most pilots will have a crew to assist with pre-flight preparation, the launch, and who will be available to retrieve you when you land out. Some of the pilots may have only one crew person or may even have no crew at all. Please do get involved in helping out wherever you can, especially if your pilot is home. Crewing provides some good stories and some great fun - even if your pilot always lands back don’t miss out on the fun but do join in.
Before setting out for the camp or comp read the article by Bruno Gantenbrink reprinted in this newsletter recently and bear in mind the important points that he makes. At the camp or comp you may well be flying in the company of more gliders than you have ever seen before. There have been a number of mid-air collisions in the last few years. These often happen at competitions or camps where many gliders are flying the same task and are sharing thermals. As always it is vital to keep a really good lookout. Scan the sky around you, watch what other gliders are doing and look out with especial extra care before a turn or a pull up. A pull up into a thermal from cruising speed can gain you several 100’s of feet and may place you in close proximity to another glider. Look out always.
A cap with a peaked brim (baseball type cap) is potentially dangerous. The brim cuts off upward vision and this can obscure the glider a little ahead and above which will meet you in the pull up. Choose a hat with a narrow brim that does not obscure the upward view.
Recently the GPS has made an appearance and many pilots are now flying with this very useful instrument. Many pilots "install" the GPS on a knee. The GPS screen is fairly small and often these things need a fair degree of concentration to read them and to find the information that you want. Be very aware of the danger that this poses. The pilot looks down at his GPS and spends too much time working out where he or she is at the expense of keeping a good lookout. The training & safety panel of the IGC discussed this issue recently as there have been a number of accidents where GPS watching was a contributory factor. The GPS should be consulted in straight flight only and the minimum time should be spent on this and the maximum on looking out. Unfortunately GPS also ensures that many gliders are traversing identical routes, with potentially disastrous consequences.
News Flash !! On Sunday 4/10/98 we had a first solo at the club. You may well say well "So what? this happens often." This was a club first however. We had our first solo of an all winch trained pilot. Claudia went solo on Sunday. After completing all her training exercises and a final check flight on Sunday she took off and did a perfect launch followed by a faultless circuit and landing. Well done Claudia. To make the occasion even more special the winch was driven by her husband, Helmut. Well done and congratulations from all.
Quite a mouthful for a gliding club name, isn't it! We recently received a letter from Heidi Snyman, secretary, and thought members might like to hear a bit about this Namibian club, which was formed two years ago by the amalgamation of the Erongo Gliding Club and the Swakopmund club. They now operate from Karibib airfield where a 2,8km tarred runway and taxi-way was built by the State as an alternate to the (now) Windhoek International, at the time of the bush war.
The club owns an SF34, a Blanik and an IS-28, all two seaters. There is also a privately owned SF25 Motorfalke and Heidi's own ASW 19.
Heidi says that as they are only about 100km from the coast and affected by afternoon south-west winds, the weather is not as good as Bitterwasser, though they do fly distance tasks. They are having their annual camp from 26th December for about 14 days.
Once again all club members, members from other clubs and visitors from overseas are invited to join us on this week of uninterrupted flying between 19th December and 3rd January. Last year was enjoyed by many and one particular day provided thermals to 14,500', making the trip to Citrusdal and back an absolute cinch. So come on all you Diamond Goal seekers, you don't need to go to Gariep to fly 300km!
Most of you have probably not yet seen the bright red and white checkered duty pilot Flight Centre at the runway yet. This is the new duty pilot "headquarters", containing desk, two airband radios (one to monitor 124,8, one for 126,5), wind speed indicator in kph, loud hailer, fire extinguisher, full set of club forms, winch signal lights and lists of all emergency phone numbers and other important information. This, the ultimate mobile duty pilot office, has a roof for sun protection and is high enough off the ground to give an excellent view over the runway and taxiway. The power source is a 12v car battery for which there is a built-in charger.
Where did it come from? The ever industrious André Leeb du Toit has once again been working away quietly (with help from Dave Starke) for about six months, hatching this very useful utility which we're sure, as with our club hangar, is likely to be copied by other clubs when word of it gets around.
Back in Japan after seven glorious weeks at the Kraal (oops, Worcester) I enjoyed going solo again after about twenty-odd years of the occasional passenger flight in a glider. Sad to say, there is very little gliding here in Japan, although huge lenticulars are sometimes visible. Clubs are few and far between and cater mostly to university students (but not my university) at faraway airstrips usually situated parallel to a non-flooded river. Just getting to the airstrip is a major hassle in this congested country. So it was wonderful to enjoy the hospitality and the wide open space of Worcester, both on the ground and in the air.
Having started to glide at Fisantekraal from 1952 at the age of fifteen, I never really experienced the apprehension of an instructor hopping out of the training plane and sending one solo, since all flights on the open Grunau IX primary WERE solo flights, right from the first ground slide onwards. Even my first aerotow at Fisantekraal was a solo in the Grunau Baby, and there were no dive brakes either (ask Herbie!). So it was great to be back, to get good instruction, especially for flights near the sheer mountain ridges, and then to be sent there on my own. Due to unusually quiet days, the wave only appeared once, giving the glider zero sink but no more, so any hopes for height gains were unfortunately dashed.
During this time, Mansell Williams dropped in from California, flying in a Cutlass from Cape Town airport to Worcester with his brother Roger. I managed to transfer THE suitcase (of which I told you in the last Krautkoerant), but due to being overloaded Mansell could not take it back to California. So THE suitcase only did an out-and-return flight KIX - FAWC - KIX, where KIX stands for Kansai International Airport, and I shall have to do another trip to California coming Christmas to deliver it... However, Mansell (whom I first met at Fisantekraal in 1952) and I could stand on Worcester airfield in the presence of Sammy Samson (whom I have now also known for 46 years)...
Yes, I did also manage to make a sentimental journey to the Port-Jacksonized concrete runways of Fisantekraal, with the old club house and hangar dozing in the afternoon sun, everything looking quite forlorn. I am very happy for the Club that it made the move to Worcester, certainly much further away for many, but what incomparably better gliding conditions! Returning on a Malaysian Airlines 747 from Cape Town to Kuala Lumpur en route to Osaka, I sent a note to the Captain mentioning that I was a glider pilot. Imagine my surprise when he told me that he had just come from a weekend spent at Bomber Jackson's farm! He pulled out Bomber's copy of the book by the late Betty Rowell-Beatty called "For the Love of Flying" (published in the US), which naturally has a lot to say about her flights in "Betty's Wave" from Youngsfield and Fisantekraal under Heinie's guidance in the 1950s. Only two days after soaring the Astir along Worcester*s mountain cliffs I swept high above Worcester airfield in the back seat of the 747 cockpit. Should I have asked the Captain to do a dummy run, I wonder? In an emergency, would a 747 be able to land and take off from FAWC? In such a case I just hope that the Captain remembers to put his undercarriage down and not do a "Mooney"!
Three people have died this season because they turned at low level. In each case the glider spun. One accident was after an abandoned aerotow because an aileron disconnected.
It is widely accepted that a final turn should be completed by 250ft. On some occasions at restricted sites and after a cable break it may be necessary to make a lower final turn but in doing so the risk is considerable.
It is also a fact that below a certain height recovery from a spin is impossible; the critical height depends, to some extent, on the type of glider but for all types it is several hundred feet.
Why expose yourself to the high workload of a low-level circuit from a cable break at a height below which you would normally have completed a final turn? The possible accident from going straight ahead after a cable break, even if there isn't quite enough room ahead, is unlikely to be anything like as serious as spinning in.
Pilots are not asking themselves the right questions:
the first is "can I land straight ahead?" and not "can I get round?"
Saving time and expediting the retrieve may have DEATH as the penalty. Such factors must not influence the decision.
Land straight ahead whenever possible; only make small changes in direction to take advantage of the airfield shape.
Recognise that if you have had to turn on more occasions than you have landed straight ahead then you may be strongly disposed to turn, almost as a reflex. Instructors should teach straight ahead landings from cable breaks before teaching any situations which involve turning. A student or pilot being tested who turns when the straight ahead option is possible, should have further training or fail the test as appropriate.
Turning low down is dangerous to your health!
In case you're not sure at what speed the glider you fly stalls at, or anything else about its performance, flight and operation manuals are available for all the club types from André Leeb du Toit. André would also like you to return the members' data sheet which was included in the last Krautkoerant. It would be really encouraging if members tried to co-operate a bit in this regard.
Following damage incurred as the result of a negligent towing mishap, GJJ is presently in Johannesburg having repairs to the elevator and tail fin done by a specialist GRP repair shop. This very expensive exercise (about R18000.00) highlights the need for tow-car drivers to be attentive at all times while towing gliders around the airfield.
GOK is presently with Dave Starke and repairs to the undercarriage and belly are currently under way. Fortunately this is a very strong aircraft and the damage incurred recently is not as bad as was originally suspected. As GOK is a heavily utilised piece of equipment it is hoped to have the aircraft back in service soon.
GIG has also been taken out of service temporarily due to the discovery of excessive wear in the elevator actuating mechanism. It is hoped to have GIG ready in time to attend the Namibian Nationals at Bitterwasser early in November. Remember, when you do DI positive checks and a control surface disengages, it's then not a good idea, or responsible behaviour, to fly the aircraft.
GHB still needs a lot of work and we will be calling on members in the near future to assist with this important project.
UUA has now had a new throttle control fitted which Otto Tönges brought back from Germany for us. Thank you once again Otto. You have been a veritable Father Christmas to us!
The club fleet is now fairly large and the maintenance load is proportionately large. The list of items to be repaired or maintained is constantly being added to, even as other items are attended to. The costs of having professional maintenance would be prohibitive and therefore the help of as many members as possible is essential in order to keep costs down.
The fire extinguishers have recently been serviced, thanks to Graham Levitt. Will the person who removed the blue one from the hangar please replace it immediately. Did you take it to the launch point? Is it in your car boot still? It would be sad to entertain the thought that perhaps there are thieves amongst the membership.
The following check list has been drawn up to assist you in organizing your duty day. Remember, the onus is on you to find a replacement and inform the Chief Duty Pilot if you cannot make your rostered day. Brickbats this month to Chris Way for doing neither of the above.
A DUTY PILOT’S CHECK LIST
Before the weekend
Contact rostered Tuggies, Instructors and Co-Duty Pilot
Remind them of required punctuality (9.30am) and pre-flight meeting
On arrival
Arrive on time - no later than 9.30
Take out time sheets, flying list.
Record Tacho reading - MIV, UUA
Leave message on answering machine - weather, aircraft serviceability
Chase people to do the DI’s and cleaning - IMPORTANT - gets flying going earlier
Check for attendance by rostered people
Tug airworthy and ropes serviceable?
Equipment to launch point: fire extinguishers (2), base station, first aid kit
Attend pre-flight meeting with Tuggies and Duty Instructor: discuss signals, emergency actions, ground handling, rope attachment to tugs/gliders, responsibility of lookout, division of timekeeping/radio communications/ground handling duties between duty pilots
During flying
First launch must take place by 10.30
Be safety conscious - no dogs/alcohol at flightline, children away from runway, ropes off runway between launches, circuit lookout
Be aware of aircraft activity overhead and in circuit
Do not leave base station unattended
Prepare the next glider before the tug lands - time wasting costs you money
Accurate and neat time-keeping
Shout, cajole and threaten to ensure efficient and safe ground-handling - people that don’t comply with instructions can be removed from the list - you have the authority to do so. If insufficient hands - stop flying.
Fly strictly according to the list - no exceptions
Accommodate PAXES when possible
Singles have launch preference between 12pm and 2pm
After flying
Ensure no equipment left at launch point
Manage safe putting away of gliders
Ensure wing covers are placed on gliders
Batteries on charge (incl. base station)
Switch off lights in hangar
Lock Hangar side door and sliding doors locked
Complete time sheet, damage report, money and membership forms
Make a note of fuel usage by tug(s) on time sheet and lock fuel store
Phone or fax Chief Duty Pilot (0217851108) to report on day’s activities/problems
Please will all duty pilots make sure they are fully conversant with the contents of this list.
At a recent Worcester Flying Club/Cape Gliding Club liaison meeting two points were brought up by the WFC which are causing them considerable concern. The first one is the issue of uncontrolled dogs at the airfield. The WFC committee are no longer prepared to allow dogs to roam free on the aprons, taxi-ways, runways and around aircraft generally, as happens at present. With immediate effect ALL dogs must either be kept in suitable enclosures or on a leash. The gliding club committee has been asked to enforce this strictly, so please will the owners of dogs co-operate as the WFC is the lease holder of Worcester airfield and as such they call the shots on these issues, and nobody wants to act as policeman.
The second issue is speeding cars on the taxi-ways and aprons. This has been brought up before and is still (or again) a problem. Please adhere to the 20kph airfield speed limit always, and drive on the TOWN SIDE of the taxi-ways. This is to preserve the condition of the gravel surface. Once again we appeal for your co-operation.
Sir
On inquiring with one of the club's instructors as to what criterion was being used to send a pupil solo, I was informed that this was based on a formula involving the AGE of the pupil, eg: a 20 year old pupil will need 40 hours of instruction and thereafter, for every additional year, one hour per year (of age) is added.
Let me say at this point that age is not a Condition - but a state of Mind.
I find this kind of training discriminatory to the older men - or pilots with previous experience. Gliding, like any other endeavour in life, doesn't necessarily depend on age alone - but on each individual's performance. Surely this kind of training can't be cast in stone or be a dogma. One has to be flexible.
During the last war, bomber pilots were older, more mature and steady men. The suicidal gung-ho youngsters were fighter pilots.
It's against the democratic constitutional rights of older men to be discriminated against. I'm sure somewhere in our New Constitution there must be a chapter pertaining to pilots in general and glider pilots in particular. If necessary, I'll have to take it up with the constitutional court - or go on a rolling mass action. To quote the old cliché, "there are bold pilots and old pilots, but there are no old bold pilots!" As one famous philosopher once remarked: "UND WENN DER GANZE SCHNEE VERBRENNT - DIE ASCHE BLEIBT UNS DOCH".
Life in the 20th century is like a parachute jump - you have to get it right first time!
Klaus "Sammy" Samson
Mike Pascoe comments: It depends on ability, though age has to be considered. As a general rule it has been found that it takes the average student pilot who has never flown before about 20 launches plus a number of launches equal to his/her age to go solo. This is quite clearly different from saying that a student must do 20 plus his/her age before going solo, or saying that this number is rigidly applied. It is also very different from saying a specified number of hours.
A student pilot is sent solo when competent to go solo. Before solo, students must have completed all the training exercises to a standard that satisfies at least two instructors, at least one of them a Senior Instructor. The student must have passed the radio licence, the Rules & Regulations examination and must have a valid medical on the prescribed form. Apart from these, there are no hidden criteria that anyone has to meet. Age is not a criterion provided that the pilot is older than 16 years. Older people learn more slowly than younger individuals, so that the older person must expect to take longer to solo than a youngster. I am sure that no one would wish any other criteria to be applied, but in the interests of students and the club as a whole, the instructors cannot but apply these criteria equally to all people.
CGC SMALLSWANTED: Mark Howse, an experienced pilot/instructor from MGC, is interested in sharing (hiring?) a glider at Gariep between 26th Dec and 3rd Jan. He can be contacted at 011 886-6871 (w) or 011 782-5480 (h). The editor has more details. WANTED: Closed trailer for 15 glider. Contact Horst Mücke 99 2725. FOUND: In club hangar, vicinity of ZS-UUA, one 7mm flat/ring spanner, contact the editor. DI BOOKS: Professionally produced glider DI books available at R10.00 each. Contact André Leeb du Toit 782 2362, FOR SALE: Numerous gliders and shares in gliders: PIK20B (one third @ R25000 or whole glider), Std Cirrus (R65000), SF26A (R32000), Ventus A ($40000), Mini Nimbus CM (potential self launcher) (R99000), Fournier RF4 (R69000), Grob 109B (one third @ R90000), Kestrel 19 (one third @ R24000), ASW 17 (R65000). For more details see the notice board in the clubhouse. Compared to prices in Sailplane & Gliding magazine, these seem very low. Chamois leathers (large), only R30.00. Speak to Jacques Willig 713 0194. |
NEXT KRAUTKOERANTThe next Krautkoerant will appear in December. Thanks to Cyril George, Graham Levitt, Mike Pascoe, Klaus Samson and Helmut Morsbach for their efforts in making this edition possible. Deadline for the next issue is Wednesday 18th November and, as always, I will accept disk (WP5.1 or .txt format please), faxed, e-mailed or snail mailed hand-written copy. Peter Wooley, 12 Grove Rd, Rondebosch 7700. fax: 419 9667, e-mail: pwooley@ctcc.gov.za |
Go placidly amid the noise of the tow planes and remember what peace there is in the silence at 5000'. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with the tug pilot. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; listen to others, even the dull and ignorant, they too have their good flights. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious when you are preparing to fly. If you compare yourself to others, you may become vain or bitter, for there always will be novices or diamond pilots around. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans, keep trying for that next badge leg. Exercise caution in competition for contest pilots are full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many pilots striving for high altitude get help from others already in lift. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affectation. Neither be cynical about lift, for in the face of sink and poor landing areas, it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the council of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Let the younger club members push the gliders to the flight line. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you when lift fails. But do not distress yourself with poor forecasts, many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness in the cockpit. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with the controls. You are a child of the universe, no less than the power pilots and jet jockeys; you have a right to some airspace. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with the CFI and committee, whatever you conceive them to be, and whatever your labours and aspirations this season, in the noisy confusion of the hangar or on the flight line, keep peace with your fellow pilots. With all its bitching, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful sport. Be careful. Soar to be happy.