Safely Entering the Gaggle

Do not be intimidated. With new students, there is one glider circling and they want to run the other way, while I am telling them to aim for the glider. Visualize their circle and merge into it just as you would merge onto the freeway. The concept is the same with 1 glider or 50.

However, 50 leads to other problems. It can get very inefficient and hard to get away from once you have joined. You are bound to have someone leach off of you and inevitably get in your way. So if possible I try and avoid the really big gaggles.

Sometimes it is inevitable and you have to join the gaggle, sometimes the gaggle joins you and other times multiple gaggles merge into one super gaggle. But let's think about us merging into a gaggle.

Here are some tips to hopefully make it as safe as possible:

• Be at the appropriate speed before you arrive to the gaggle. Accept it, it is inefficient.
• With a gaggle you cannot easily speed-up or slow-down. However you can fly a slightly larger circle and as you slow-down you can decrease your turn radius and merge a little easier.
• Don't just watch the gaggle but watch for other gliders joining. Everyone is focusing on the gaggle. The big fear is other gliders headed for the same gaggle from different directions.
• Be ready for gliders leaving, someone might be ready to roll out right in-front of you.
• Be careful for the gaggle to not be centered, you might want to turn early when you feel the bump, however it will cause a lot of issues with passing through peoples paths.
• Be predictable when joining, avoid sporadic movements.
• You are not joining to race to the top, you are joining to safely climb with everyone.

If you want to beat the gaggle, find a stronger thermal.

 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.