Getting Ready for Your First Flight in 2017

Remember that amazing flight you had just before you boxed up the glider for the winter? Remember how comfortable with the sailplane you were? You are not there anymore. You are rusty, you can imagine, visualize, day dream, play on a simulator, etc. The fact is you are not as proficient and current as you were 4 months ago when you put the glider away.

Take it easy as you get back into it. Don't expect to start off where you left off. There will be some regression, expect it, shake some rust off and keep improving. The shops are all still full from trying to get the winter projects out, so this will be a quick way to loose this season.

Grab an instructor, work on landings or a local refresher flight before venturing out and putting it into a small field. Many clubs and commercial operators have currency limits. Ours is 60 days in a glider, does not need to be with us. But if you are outside 60 days in a glider we will not rent a glider without a currency flight with an instructor.

If we think back to sports psychology no athlete is going to go straight into a competition with a potential 5 month break. You want to take it easy at first and build from there. Soaring is not a sport where safety can be taken lightly.

When I coached the Juniors in Australia I had for the first time in 16 years not flown in an entire month. I could tell with my first student. It took me most of the day to feel normal again.

You will probably be out of your normal routine, this is where those checklists you made will come in handy because assembly and leaving the house probably won't be that well oiled machine it was when you put the glider away.

 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.