Monthly Archives: March 2022

The genesis of this article was an email question, sent in by a new XC pilot to an XC program panel where I was a mentor. The writer wanted to know if his club’s new acquisition of a higher performance single place glider might mean that newer XC pilots like him could participate in a Regional contest with a plan for “airport hopping” on tasks and thus avoid the challenge

It’s really great that you’re starting to think about ‘stretching your legs’ across country, it’s an exciting and sometimes daunting time because the ‘What if I don’t make it back?’ thoughts start creeping into our head.  I found this especially true, until the day I did my first solo off-field landing into a paddock, I then realized, it’s

It’s all in the head, how many times have we heard that before? If we ask the top pilots or anyone seriously in any sport, often that’s the response, that they think that winning almost exclusively comes from the head.  This can be misinterpreted though, it’s not intellect that I’m talking about, so if you’re like me and not that smart, don’t throw in the towel

Is your flight review an “Every two year, check-the-box” exercise?  In airplanes, does your CFI/buddy give you a sign-off after reviewing part 91 over a cup of coffee at an airport 30 minutes away (conveniently a one-hour round trip in order to meet the Part 61 flight time requirement)?   In gliders, three quick tows into the pattern?   Is your recurrency an obligation