Pilot Relief
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pilot relief pee smells bad pee freezes pee going pee dehydration

Pilot relief might sound like a simple task at first. However, there are some issues that you have to think about before installing a pilot relief system that is best for you.

Dehydration

From last week we decided it’s good to drink water. Drinking enough water that we have to go pee during the flight. My goal is at least every hour.

Considerations

Pee is corrosive. A leak in the bottom of the seat pan, soaking the control rods, CG hook, belts, parachute, etc. will be just a few of the issues with a malfunction in the cockpit area. A leak can be hard to detect until the seat pan is removed (hopefully during the annual). The landing gear is another hotspot for corrosion but usually easy to spot on a pre-flight. A hidden one we often find when removing the rudder is lots of corrosion or rust around the bottom rudder hinge.

An external relief system where the spray isn’t clearing the slipstream and returning into the glider around the rudder cables is not good.

Pee smells bad

Maybe it didn’t smell this morning, but when you are essentially spraying the inside of your glider and leaving it to evaporate off every weekend for the next 20 years, it does. I’ve had some gliders smell pretty awful without the help of mice. If the glider smells like pee, there is a problem.

If you can smell it, something is leaking. There was a question I saw on Facebook from a towpilot, “I can smell the exhaust is that a problem?” I think the odor is a good sign that there is a leak.

Pee freezes

It’s probably not a surprise, and you already know this. But it is a surprise if there is a low spot in your system and the tube freezes. Imagine your catheter inflating like a balloon and trying to stop mid pee. It’s like a cartoon in slow motion but quickly speeds up as it gets closer to the ultimate cockpit water balloon fight. Where you lose.

Going pee

Now only if it was as easy as going into your own private thrown room. But it’s not, it’s hot, it’s bumpy, it’s cold, you have to continue to fly the glider, continue to look for traffic. Either you are going during cruise while you are looking for the next thermal or you go while thermalling and continuously trying to stay centered and figure out when to leave. Everyone has their preference; it is more of a matter of when you are willing to take the distraction.

The system that you want will have to be what you find to be easy to operate and works well for your body. Always practice in the privacy of your bathtub first. Next week I will discuss the different systems that I have seen, used, and installed. Remember to have an open discussion with your A&P before you get the drill gun out.

Banner photo by Bo Michalowski

 

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garret willat  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.