Get the Most Out of Your Flight Review
Use your flight review wisely. It only comes once every two years. Before going out for your flight review think about your rough spots. Then let your instructor know what they are. This isn't a time to hide them and hope your instructor doesn't find out. Turn your review into a learning experience.
Do you practice off-field landings each landing? When you first started flying you did lots of landings and short flights, now you do few landings and long flights. This tends to have a decreasing effect in your ability to spot land. If you want to watch some horrible landings go to a soaring contest. You would have never thought a $175,000 glider could bounce as high as a 2-33 with a new student. Not only can they not touch down gently but they can't stop where they want.
From now on treat each flight like an off-field landing. Your glider shouldn't randomly stop rolling wherever it happens to stop on the runway. Each flight you should be flaring over a predetermined point, touching down and stopping at a particular point. Touch down at a low energy. During an off-field, I touch tail first with the brake on. Each off-field landing I choose my landing area and make a runway with my imagination.
Parowan Utah has a 5000' runway. During a recent national soaring contest, you were expected to roll to the runway's end. It was amazing how many pilots couldn't do it. Some ended up stopping 2000' short while others rolled off the end of the runway because they misjudged where to turn base and final. At your home field do you judge where to turn base and final from landmarks in the pattern? Don't do it! Look at the angles based on where you should be touching down. Ask yourself if it looks right. You should be able to fly a pattern at an unfamiliar field without an altimeter (and an instructor).
Practice and use your instructor wisely. Learn something new. Maybe brush up on radio communication, tow signals, off-field practice, no spoiler landing practice. Sure it is unlikely (I have watched one) that the spoilers would fail, but having the ability to do a good slip might come in handy when you are high.
Banner Photo: Mika Ganszauge
Competing in Gliders is written by father and son, Leo and Ricky Brigliadori. Together they have a combined phenomenal 70 years of experience, from rookie competition pilot to World Championship and beyond. This is more than just a book about flying – the techniques described in the book apply to many facets of life, covering; self–motivation, teamwork, and how to overcome failures and disappointment. This is a must-read for all gliding enthusiasts.
GPGS Practical Test Standards are available for pre-study and for those unable to attend class.
They include all the information and all the FAA question banks tailored exclusively for Glider Pilots. The course books are highly recommended preparation for the FAA Oral exams as well.
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.