You’re going to land out !

So do it safely and with style

Start with your Bronze Badge

Rigging/ Deriging/ Trailering

• Be certain the trailer for the glider you intend to use is road worthy

• Derig the glider and load on the trailer to be confident in disassembly of the glider and use of trailer fittings

• Driving with a trailer-be sure you and your crew are proficient at maneuvering a trailer on your tow vehicle

Field Selection

• Select a field that looks landable from the air, that has land marks identifiable on the ground

• After landing, drive to the field to see if it looks like a good “airport “ from the ground

• Practice assessing fields and crop type for suitability as landing fields while driving to and from the Glider Port

Circuit Planning• Slope- if you must land on a sloping field land

up slope• Surface - crop type is another subject to study

while flying locally and look at on the ground latter, as Al Wood used to say land in the dirt and you won’t get hurt

• Stock- avoid fields with animals if you don’t hit one on landing, a curious beast could ruin you glider in any number of ways

Circuit planning continued• Length -5 hydro pole spacings is roughly 300

yards, use that as a guide for the glider you will fly

• Obstacles - hydro wires are hard to see, tall trees can shorten the useable portion of the field substantially, an 80 foot tree removes 800 feet of your runway

• Wind look for smoke or wind patterns on water as well as the gliders drift for wind direction

Planing for low save/outlandingPlaning for low save/outlanding

At 2000 feet AGL the possibility that an out landing could soon be part of your flight must be considered.

Move away from forests, rivers, lakes, and low areas. Looking for potential ground sources for thermal activity. You are too far below the clouds for them to be useful. Fly downwind to cover more ground /potential thermal sources and good runways

Circuit Planning SSSLOWCircuit Planning SSSLOW

• Slope

• Surface

• Stock

• Length

• Obstacles

• Wind

• Continue to look for thermals

Low savesLow saves

– As you check out your new found airport you may encounter lift or zero sink. This zero sink may develop into a useable thermal. Be patient it may take 10 minutes or more to turn into lift from zero sink. You will drift while circling.

– Have a landing field selected at ALL times

MoooMooo

• At 1200 to 1000 feet AGL you should now move into position to start the down wind for the “Airport” you have selected.

• At 800 feet AGL….

• NO MORE THERMALING. DO NOT CHANGE THE PLAN NOW

• Relax, fly a well coordinated circuit

At the groundAt the ground

• Do a well held off low energy landing

• Brake hard unseen obstacles may be waiting

Landing completeLanding complete

• Enjoy the wonderful silence that follows a well executed out -landing

The work begins The work begins

• Find the farmer that owns your “airport”. Be polite he’s the person that will give your crew directions to come and get you

• Secure the glider, if you must leave it in search a farmer or phone

• If a gallery of onlookers forms, answer their questions while remaining cheerful

• Find out a little about the area your in

The work continuesThe work continues

• Call your crew either from the farmers house or your cell phone. Having a cell phone in the retrieve vehicle and with you the pilot, can relieve a great deal of stress for all

• Wait for the crew- a good book comes in handy now!

Derig and traileringDerig and trailering

• When the crew arrives, move the glider to a suitable location to derig if necessary or possible

• Derig the glider and load carefully and securely

• Keep your sense of humor, your crew may have had a rough time reaching you

• That local knowledge you acquired from the farmer or gallery will come in handy now as you treat your crew to the scenic delights of the area

The trip homeThe trip home

SuccessSuccess

Recent pastRecent past

PresentPresent