Paddock Selection
We all would love to land near a farm with a swimming pool or a pub with a cold beer and some good food, but landing safely and with no damage to our glider or self is the number one priority. We can’t win a competition or fly another day with a broken glider, nor do we want to waste any of the summer with lengthy repair time to the glider or worse, ourselves. When you touch down in the paddock, make your ground run as short as possible, you never know what may be up ahead, it could be an unseen ditch, a fence the farmer has put in, or a sizeable hole, no matter how careful you have been with your field selection. So what are some of the things I think of before going into a field?
SIZE
- This is an easy one within the checklist, it must be big enough. With experience gained at your airfield and with some common sense, you should be able to determine whether the field is long enough or not. If you get really stuck, you can land diagonally to add some extra meters. Should you get into a situation where the fence is coming up fast at the end of the field and you’re unable to stop, then you can induce a controlled ground loop. This is done by firmly putting one of the wings on the ground, with the stick full forward in the direction of turn to keep the tail off the ground, this will reduce the likely hood that you’ll break the tail boom off. Not ideal, but it’s certainly better than going through the fence…
SURFACE
- We’re not all farmers so you may find it difficult to judge the surface. One simple trick I’ve used for many years is to assess the fields along the drive to the airfield. Then ask yourself, would I drive through that field at 100-120kph? It’s a yes or no answer. Then when I’m airborne, check out those assessed fields that I said “yes” to, this will give you an idea of what they look like from above. If you’re in an area like Finland with small fields surrounded by high trees, for example, it’s a good idea to go walk them, imagine your approaching flight path, etc. I actually did this with Garret Willat at the FIN WGC 2014, it gave us a lot of confidence to race effectively. Editors note; I was there too. Garret ended up landing in one of those fields he inspected.
- It’s a good idea to avoid fields with high crops, as this will likely cause an uncontrolled ground loop – remember the tip above if it happens, stick forward! If we have to land in a high crop though, touch down with the slowest possible speed and imagine the top of the crop as the ground and flare accordingly.
- Naturally, talking to a local of the area is also a great idea, they have lots of knowledge of what’s best for the season you’re in at the time too.
SLOPE
- In general, we should avoid sloped fields, but of course, it’s not always possible. Landing across even a gentle slope can cause the wing to grab the higher side, and around you go. So naturally, it’s always best to land up the slope if you’re forced to. This isn’t always possible though, as there may be contour banks, sometimes shallow, sometimes very pronounced, as you could imagine, these could break the glider and or your back if hit with enough speed. So if you see a slope in your chosen field, it’s best to look for another one!
STOCK
- Another easy one, avoid fields with animals in them. You could stop easily within the field for example, but that’s not the danger. Animals tend to be inquisitive, they love to lick your glider green, rub up against the winglet or tailplane, and step on the wing or boom. If you have to leave your glider, tie your wings level, take out the TEK probe, take all food and water out of the cockpit, cover it up, then just hope for the best...
SINGLE-WIRES or POWER LINES
- One last threat to look for, is powerlines. They can be easy to spot, or if they’re like the ones we have here in Australia, they can be a ‘single-wire’ linking the farmer's house or pump in the middle of the field up with power. These are the nasty ones, as they’re completely invisible at times, they can run along the farmer's road, through tree lines, and randomly through big fields. If you have these styles of lines in your area, make sure you talk with an experienced pilot to help understand how to look for and identify them from the air.
Outlandings can be a lot of fun, normally a great story usually comes out of it, but check the “5 S’s” above first so you can fly the next day!
Banner photo by Holger Weitzel, aufwind-luftbilder.de
Adam Woolley was born into the gliding world, being the 3rd generation in his family. Going solo at 15, his thirst for efficiency in soaring flight & quest for a world championship title to his name has never wavered. One big passion is sharing his experiences & joy with other glider pilots all around the world. Adam is an airline pilot in Japan on the B767 & spends his off time chasing summer around the globe. He has now won 7 national Championships & represented Australia at 5 WGC's & 1 EGC.