Monthly Archives: June 2017
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- June 28, 2017
'A smart man learns from his mistakes a wise man learns from the mistakes of others.'
Many of us have made mistakes that cost us a podium finish. Everyone has done something that cost us points, the question is at what stage of your racing career do you learn?
A few days ago an anonymous pilot failed to use a checklist. Turned a 72 mph flight (a would-be winning speed for the day) to a 0 point flight. -
- June 21, 2017
You’ve done your homework. You’ve flown your planned route with a map to test how practical it really is (revision 3, perhaps?). Ideally, you’ve also flown cross-country in a two-seater with an experienced pilot—talking through judgment, decision-making, and planning in real time. If not, that experience is invaluable. (I’m always available at Sky Sailing in our S10vt.)
Another effective method is
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- June 14, 2017
I would be lying if I said your first cross country will be totally relaxed. Actually, if you are not a little scared you are probably doing something wrong. The below topics are what I have my students do when they come to be.
Of course, you have read all you can on cross-country flying, tactics, and weather.
I would use a mentor and the OLC to get a good idea for your first task.
Start looking at -
- June 07, 2017
Don't land out, that definitely defines the line of pushing too hard. You can see on the graph above (graph from @SouthAfricanGlidingTeam ) how devastating one bad day can be.
My classic lawn darting experience was in 2005 at the Standard Class Nationals. The last few days placing were 3rd, 5th, 2nd, a 1st.....Then I didn't even make it 20miles....I had to take a relight that day, and did not find -
- May 31, 2017
When you have artillery pointed at your tail it's definitely time to go. Otherwise, the simple, fail-safe, hard-fast rule, for determining when to stay and wait it out...well, there is not one. I had some questions and was asked to expand on the newsletter from two weeks ago. But a lot of this is intuition and experience.
Waiting in zero sink while waiting for the thermal to kick-off might be the best