Don't put all of your Eggs in one Basket
This is one of the topics that George Lee would remind me of. This also goes along with the thinking of Jay Rebbeck where you should plan all the way to the ground.
Jay's thinking was you would plan under the clouds, then trying towards the town, trying for the factory, then landing in that field. Keeping that plan going all the time. That way when the lift is being elusive, it was the plan the whole time, landing out is not a surprise.
Day 2 at my first US Open Class Nationals. My third flight in the Nimbus 3 and just after my Day win, on my second flight in the beautiful beast. I was running on hope, optimism, and youthfulness. I was headed into the last turn thinking about how I was going to win another day. I was having a great run and I knew it, not a single mistake...yet... There was 1 cloud out in the turn area. All I had to do was glide, climb, final glide home, and collect my glory. I also was planning ahead if the cloud didn't work I would land at Wilbur, a small airport.
The problem with this cloud was there was no backup plan. I was completely relying on that ONE cloud working and that getting me home. If that ONE cloud didn't work I had no other plan for lift or staying in the air. Those odds are not good. "Hope is not a strategy" as Dick Butler would say.
The next clue to this being a really bad plan was halfway to the cloud I saw Nelson Funston, the local guru, and winner of the contest. Nelson was below me gliding the opposite direction (from the cloud). The light-bulb in my brain should have said "That cloud is not working" but optimism and the sweet taste of victory prevailed and I kept going.
I put all of my eggs in one basket. I had no plan B, well plan B was landing. I should have had a few other ideas on where to find lift. When I passed Nelson I should have turned around after him to let him mark the thermal to get me home. He had the altitude to get back to the good air and home so did I if I would have turned around.
Last week when talking about the turnpoints. The same thing would happen in decision making. Relying too much on one thermal working, an 'all or nothing' plan. Those risks might pay-off for a day or two, but not the entire length of a contest. Many times it only works for most of a day before landing you out.
Avoiding a situation that will require you to not have multiple options. Keep your options open. Stay flexible. I tell my students this when returning to the airport you need to have a back-up plan for when this one doesn't work.
Always have a plan and always have a plan that gives you multiple options.
Photo: Marc Michel
Garret Willat holds a flight instructor rating with over 8000 hours in sailplanes. His parents have owned Sky Sailing Inc. since 1979. He started instructing the day after his 18th birthday. Since then, Garret has represented the US Junior team in 2003 and 2005. He graduated from Embry-Riddle with a bachelor's degree in Professional Aeronautics. Garret represented the US Open Class team in 2008 and 2010 and the Club Class team in 2014. Garret has won 3 US National Championships.