Communication
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- February 25, 2026
In our wonderful world of gliding, the relationship between P1 and P2 is more than just a division in roles; it’s somewhat of a psychological contract. We’ve all been there: you’re established in a reliable 4-knot climb, and your offsider suggests leaving it to chase a wispy puff of cloud three miles off-course. Your instinct? A polite (or perhaps blunt) "No."
However, there is a strategic art to CRM
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- December 03, 2025
Welcome to the first installment of my five-part series on ‘Core Values’ in the gliding environment. I’d like to start with Communication, the foundation upon which every safe flight, successful launch, and effective team interaction is built upon. Before we explore the deeper layers of teamwork and personal excellence, we start here, because great communication is the spark that ignites trust, care,
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- June 18, 2025
Effective communication between pilots is crucial when flying. Knowing the positions of other aircraft and ensuring they are aware of yours reduces the risk of potential incidents. This is especially critical when operating near airports or preparing to land, as you must know how to effectively communicate on the radio. I discovered this quickly after returning from a successful cross-country flight.
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- March 31, 2021
Editors Note: We are soaring ambassadors whenever taking passengers up for a ride. Hugh offers a comprehensive approach to glider passenger briefings from ground operations, to the use of parachutes when available, and the actual flight (parachutes were not an option when the photo was taken). Effective briefings can reduce passenger stress and help foster our sport of soaring.
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- December 02, 2020
Gliding Resource Management
Used primarily for improving safety, GRM focuses on interpersonal communication, leadership, and decision making on the ground and in the air to ensure the best possible outcomes. It is a set of training procedures for use in environments where human error can have devastating effects. GRM can come into play to foster better friendships, improving the club atmosphere where
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- October 09, 2019
When you look down and ahead to your left, you see a lake; you are not over it yet. However, when pilots call on the radio, they claim they are over it. The lack of position knowledge leads to some confusion, especially when it is a radio call when entering the pattern. Based on experience at uncontrolled airports, saying ‘entering the 45’ narrows your position down to about five sq miles, which doesn’t
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- November 14, 2018
Most soaring operations are conducted from small, uncontrolled airfields which require communication between pilots to safely maintain separation from each other in order to avoid a conflict or collision. This requires clear, concise, common radio etiquette and phraseology. Unfortunately, aviation seems to be in a radio phraseology “normalization of deviants” in which many users are not sure how they