SUCCEEDING IN COMPETITIVE GLIDING

By Dave Chappell. Updated May 04 Taken from: www.nutterpilot.freeserve.co.uk

INTRODUCTION
The aims of this paper are to: - Attempt to pass on what I have learned during 6 years of competition flying, both from practical experience and from the most useful literature. - Give guidance on, and make you think about, maximising your performance in competitions. - Smooth some of the practicalities of your first few comps.

PART ONE - PREPARATION

Pre-comp Checklist. There are so many essentials to be taken to a comp that I use a thorough checklist, which I strongly recommend. The Flight Bag. A good-sized flight case is indispensable for storing maps, pens, rulers, licences, etc in an organised fashion. I keep the vital essentials (pen, ruler, map, task sheet) together in a plastic wallet within the case. Personal Preparation. You need to arrive at the comp with the right mental outlook, physical fitness, knowledge & flying skill: Mental Outlook. You need focus and determination. It is important to be resilient, so as to put an incorrect in-flight decision, or a disappointing days performance, behind you and get on with flying to your best ability. Set yourself targets: few could realistically aim to win their first competition, but we should be preparing ourselves to win in the future, with a target in our first competition of finishing in perhaps the top half or top 10. Fitness. You need fitness and stamina to give your best after 6 hours in the cockpit, and (hopefully) 7+ consecutive days of flying. Aerobic exercise will improve these and reduce the penalty of excess weight. So get down to the gym. Knowledge. Study the literature (see bibliography). Learn the theory from Reichmann, Bradbury, et al. Learn from other peoples experience by flying with them, reading of their exploits and chatting in the bar. Flying Skill. View every flight as a soaring flight. Practice flying cross-country at every opportunity, even if only on short tasks. Practice fast, efficient starts, finishes and TPs, and analyse the GPS logger traces post-flight. If confined to the local area, practice getting away from low down. Practice staying airborne in weak thermals with lots of water ballast onboard. Most right-handed pilots climb better circling to the left; practice turning both ways, and getting the very best climb rate turning either way. Extend and develop your experience and skills by flying in new and challenging conditions in the mountains and abroad. Self-awareness and Assessment. Be critical and honest in your self-assessment, whether practising or competing. Recognise your weak points and work to improve them. Practice with pilots of similar or greater ability, and learn from your combined experiences. After each flight, analyse the GPS traces where possible, and evaluate what went well, what went badly and what lessons can be learned. Preparing the Glider. Get the glider as clean and efficient as you can: thoroughly wash and polish using a non-silicone polish, Mer car polish is highly recommended; check the mylar seals, aileron and wing tape are in good condition; ensure tyre(s) and batteries (and chargers) are in good condition; ensure the undercarriage doors close fully and flush; check the complete water ballast system for leaks and drips, and
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check that the dump valves work. Know, understand & adjust the instruments to your preferences, ensure the correct polar is set in the glide computer and set the GPS to read in km. Make the cockpit comfortable a little upholsterers foam works wonders with lumpy chutes. Finally, get the canopy really clean. Preparing the Trailer. Ensure the trailer is Serviceable. Buy or make a numberplate. Check the condition and pressure of the tyres, being extra vigilant with single-axle trailers. Before leaving the home club, ensure the trailers brakes work, requiring only light braking from the towing vehicle to activate them this can be critical in the wet. Secondary Evidence. GPS systems occasionally lose coverage, and loggers do sometimes fail. Secondary evidence is therefore vital in any competition. You need duplication of both the GPS engine and the logger functions, preferably in a separate standalone unit (eg Volkslogger). Towcar. Check the towcar is serviceable and isnt going to break down. RAF PEd Sections are often willing to hire a Land Rover or similar (with civvie towbar) for the duration of a comp, especially if the OIC Gliding approaches the PEdO. Alternatively, many MT sections have a civvie towbar kit to replace the NATO towbar on MOD Landrovers. Remember only servicemen can drive MT or hire vehicles. While SWB Landrovers are fine with single seaters, a LWB is essential for twin-seaters. However, ensure you approach the PEd staff well in advance, so they can plan for the expenditure. Knowing the Glider. The better you know the glider, the more confident and capable you will be at extracting its maximum performance during the competition; and you WILL require maximum performance in every competition. As a bare minimum, one flight (soaring if at all possible) is needed to shake the glider down & check its systems shortly before the comp; preferably you should spend a whole week practising at the comp site. To get full competitive advantage from instruments like the LX5000, considerable practice on the ground and in the air, and study of the operating manual, are necessary to ensure that your attention whilst airborne is on the flying and not the computer. Knowing the Area: Study the and mil maps of the likely task area (speaking nicely to the Flight Planning Clk will often get you mil maps, which show terrain and ground detail around TPs very well). Pay attention to terrain, understand any airspace restrictions and note useful radio frequencies. Fly from the comp site, practising final glides from various directions, examining undershoot field options and studying fields in the task area (especially size and surface). Investigate local phenomena and discuss these with the locals, eg ridges, thermal hot-spots, or sea breezes, which might either spoil your day or offer crucial saves on a low final glide. Rules. Study the BGA Competition Handbook scrupulously. The winner is the pilot who flies to score the most points, not necessarily the most skilled pilot; therefore you must have a good grasp of the (rather complex) scoring system. Read the local rules carefully; they should also specify the time and location of the 1st task brief. CILOR and Rations. Military personnel are entitled to claim CILOR or Field Rations. I recommend a 50/50 split of CILOR and rations. Rations are impractical on a late night retrieve, but the breakfasts are good and the other meals are cheap and hearty convenience food, especially useful when on-site catering is limited. Arriving at the Contest Site. If at all possible, arrive and set up camp at least one day before the contest starts not late the night before! Crew. Ensure your crew is prepared and happy, and has practised driving your vehicle & trailer.

PART TWO BEFORE THE FLIGHT

TIME MANAGEMENT ON THE GROUND Time management is fundamental in gliding competitions; it is easy to leave insufficient time each morning to prepare for the competition flight ahead, particularly if you are near the front of the grid. The aim is to be in the cockpit in a relaxed frame of mind, focussed on the task and with all glider and pre-flight preparations complete, a few minutes before launch. It is all too easy to rush and become airborne in a disorganised fluster, forgetting something important, like drinking water or barograph. Plan your time (and that of your
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crew, as far as reasonable) to have the aircraft ready at the start of the day, and de-prepped at the end of the day so that minimal work is required the following morning. Importance of Rest. No pilot can fly to the best of their ability when physically or mentally fatigued, or worse, hung over. Drinking heavily the night before a contest flight is unwise, but not uncommon. Few leading pilots will be found in the bar late into the evening. PRE-FLIGHT There is much to be done in the (often short and hectic) period between briefing and launch. I use an A5 laminated Pre-flight checklist (with a flightplanning Kneepad on the reverse) which I keep in the cockpit, to ensure nothing is forgotten. Maps need to be prepared, studied (for at least 5-10 minutes, to minimise time checking charts in-flight) and marked with Airspace, radio freqs (start/finish (and secondary), ATIS, Volmet), start sectors, finish lines, met & wind (and forecast changes) and distance-to-go marks; GPS database co-ordinate data needs to be cross-checked against the task sheet (which is the definitive), and the route needs to be programmed and checked. You should also estimate your speed and hence time on-task, given the likely met, based upon having an average run (eg 75 kph), a very good run (eg 95 kph) or a bad run (eg 50kph); compare these to the expected soaring window to decide a desirable starting time. Plan to start at a time that would use the best part of the day for an average run, but would still leave enough time in the soaring day to finish if you had a bad run. Altimeter Setting. I always fly cross-country on QNH. Simply by referral to the map, I can immediately tell my height above other airfields (the runway and any ATZ), approximate height above the ground, and separation from airspace expressed amsl. Just remember the altimeter wont read zero when you get back home! Also, make a note on the kneepad of the difference between the altimeters indication and one set to 1013mb, to determine separation from airspace expressed as a FL, without needing to adjust the altimeter; eg FL = altimeter + 300ft.

PART THREE - TASKS

TASKS & SCORING The task sheet gives the definitive data: ie you must fly to the TP co-ordinates specified on the sheet, rather than those of the named BGA Trigraphs. Therefore, you must ensure that the co-ords of each of the tasks TPs in your GPS database agree with the task sheet. As a final check, enter the route into the GPS and ensure that the computed hdg and length of each leg, and the total task length, agree with the task sheet. Conventional Tasks. Familiarise yourself with the appropriate section of the Competition Handbook. Up to 3 alternate TPs can be set at each corner of the task. Remote finishes are allowed, but rarely set due to the inconvenience of a mass-retrieve. TPs for Conventional Tasks are discussed in more detail in Part Five. Assigned Area Tasks. AATs make different demands on pilots compared to traditional racing tasks, with much greater emphasis on judging the weather and significantly altering the task in response to that judgement. See the article by Mike Young in S&G Jun/Jul 00. Aim. The aim if to fly as fast as possible around the task, going into each area in the correct order, then returning to the finish line after the Designated Time has run out. The Designated Time is a minimum, there is no speed penalty for exceeding it. Areas. There will typically be 2 Main Areas into which you need to fly, and usually one or more small Control Areas. You must not leave the first area until you are sure that you can still cover enough distance in the final area to ensure that you do not finish before the Designated Time runs out. Planning and Map Marking. It is vitally important to spend time planning your flight. You must not finish before the Designated Time ends, since it brings a very heavy penalty; in particular, its easy to underestimate the distance covered in the last hour of flight, which can easily exceed 130km in only moderately good conditions, due to the large distance covered in a short time when final gliding. To ensure that you do not head for home too soon, work back from the finish line and mark on your map a series of lines that represent the time it will take to reach the finish line. First mark the final glide: for std
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class, an 80kt final glide means aprox 11km per 1000 ft, and 4.5 mins per 1000ft; therefore for a 4000ft cloudbase, the final glide will take approx 44km and 18 mins. So mark 18 mins at 44km from the finish. Assuming an overall task speed of 90kph (which will vary according to conditions), 15km will take 10 mins; therefore mark 28 mins at 59km to run, and so on. Continue marking these lines into the final task area, to help judge when it is time to head for home. Scoring. If you complete the task, it is your actual speed around the whole task that is used for scoring; if you land out, it is your distance covered in the Designated Time that determines your speed. As in Conventional Tasks, your speed points will be in proportion to the amount by which you exceed 2/3 of the fastest speed. Penalties. GPS logger traces are always examined for Airspace infringements. The scoring programme will automatically (and reliably) detect entry into Classes A and D, Prohibited Areas, Restricted Areas (except note 2/2a), and prefixed Danger Areas. Airspace penalties can result in a negative day-score. Subsequent offences are each doubled; if your airspace penalty exceeds 200pts on more than 2 days you will be disqualified from the comp. To avoid airspace penalties, I very strongly urge every competition pilot to fly using a handheld computer running a navigation programme which displays competition airspace in relation to the aircrafts GPS position (eg Cambridge Pocket Nav, Winpilot or SeeYou Mobile). Administrative penalties can be awarded for a range of offences, including failure to be ready to launch on time or failure to contact control after landing out.

PART FOUR - THE START

Before the Start. The race does not begin until you pass the startline and there will often be some significant time spent waiting for the line to open (typically 15-20 mins after last launch, dependant upon max start height) or for the optimum start time. Its easy to loiter aimlessly, but important to remain focused and relaxed, and to use the time wisely. Soon after releasing, check visibility and the speed and direction of movement of cloud shadows, and compare these to the forecast. Assess working heights and characteristics of thermals; look for differences from the forecast (winds, cloudbases, thermal strengths) and likely trends in the weather, and assess the effect on the expected task time; explore down track and/or upwind. Listen out for radio transmissions counting down to startline opening. Until you are experienced, stay within safe gliding range of the airfield; you can not risk landing out before starting. During this time you need to think about when to start. Is it a distance day, ie is the task overset, or the weather marginal or liable to break down into storms? If so, start ASAP, even if you are in a less-thanperfect starting position. If it is not a distance day, consider: How long will the task take & how much soaring window is left? Are there favourable energy lines down track now or likely in the near future? Who else has started? Keep the entry list in cockpit, but remember pilots dont need to call until 30 minutes after starting; some top pilots send coded messages via their crew, and/or make false starts or restarts. If unsure its almost always better to start 30 mins early than 30 mins too late. When relighting is better than struggling to stay up. Sometimes, especially if you are amongst the first to be launched, you will find yourself wasting time trying to scrape away from circuit height before the startline has opened. This can be an unnecessary waste of effort, and more importantly you might not climb above 2000ft until long after the startline opens. Consider the option of returning for an immediate relight to 2000ft, which could put you in a much better position. Making the Start. Your actual start time is determined by interpolation between the last point logged within the start sector and the 1st point, either laterally or vertically, outside the sector. Remember that the declared start height cannot be exceeded in the 2 minutes prior to making the start or a penalty will result (10 points per 100ft, if exceedance >100ft) take care if youve got a sticky altimeter! Consider the time recording interval of your flight recorder if it only records every 12 seconds it could miss your presence in the sector a GPS event marker, activated by the pilot at the chosen time, is highly desirable.
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There are two possible start types, and the type in use will be specified in the competitions local rules: Common Start line. The start sector is a semicircle, 6km radius, centred on a specified lat/long, with the straight edge perpendicular to the 1st leg. If you dont have a moving map showing the start sectors, set the GPS to indicate range and bearing to the start point. It is VITAL to understand what the GPS display will indicate when within sector (eg if the 1st legs track is 070deg(T), then the brg to must be <160deg or >340deg, and the distance to must be <6km ). Experience shows you MUST work this out before flight, as it is extremely easy to get it wrong once airborne, and the penalty for an incorrect start is harsh, with a small (0.5km, 200ft high) 100 pt penalty buffer-zone, otherwise day score = 0. Before flight, and while waiting for the startline to open, look in the direction of the 1st leg and consider the benefits of starting from one end or other of the line. Evaluate the position of energy lines and airspace; if there is a crosswind on the 1st leg, it will usually pay to start from the up-wind end so that the effect of drift while thermalling will be less unfavourable. Multiple start points. Each pilot has a choice of two 0.5km radius beercan start sectors each day. There is no buffer zone, so failure to be controlled means nil points. The sectors change from day-to-day, and there is a 100 pt penalty for using the wrong days sector! Before flight, work out exactly where each sector is; then before the start locate each sector and decide which will be the best to start from, usually the one with the best energy line down-track, but other things being equal the upwind point. If its likely to be a distance day, consider using the point that gives the greater task length, as 2km may make a difference. Restarting. Do not consider restarting on a distance day the time is better spent progressing down track. On a racing day, it can be worthwhile restarting if your start and/or initial run is unsatisfactory and you have good reason to believe that the next attempt will be better, eg if there is a marked improvement in the weather. But you must balance the benefits against the risk of running out of time at the end of the day; consider the amount of time taken to get back into a good position to start, in terms of both physical position and having suitable weather down track. If it is already getting late, you will probably shoot yourself in the foot, and your perfect start will count for nothing when you end up in a field halfway around the course when the thermals stop. Clearly, the further you progress along track, the harder the decision to restart becomes. Quite a few top pilots will make restarts usually their earlier start will have been a decoy to encourage a few lemmings to set off, so removing some followers who will then mark the thermals down-track.

PART FIVE - TURNING POINTS

Sighting the TP. In these days of GPS navigation, it is all too easy to blindly follow the instruments indications all the way to the TP. Instead, try to sight the TP ground feature as early as possible; this will help you plan the route in and out of the TP, which is easy to seriously misjudge if the ground feature is not sighted, especially when flying high. Control at the TP. For control at a GPS TP it is necessary to have one position logged within a 0.5km radius of the TP co-ordinates. A buffer zone, out to 1km from the TP, brings a 50 pt penalty. It goes without saying that your GPS must be set to read in km! Quickly and Reliably. It is wasteful and unnecessary to overfly the TP when using GPS evidence, adding up to 1km extra track distance at each TP (but note, for badge claims you must enter the traditional 90deg sector). The best solution is to use a high-resolution moving map (eg a Palm PC); the pictorial representation allows cutting the corner, allowing a shorter route, and also gives confidence that the glider has entered the sector. Without a moving map, then as a guide, when approaching the TP you should fly directly towards it until the distance-to-go reduces to 500m; then turn onto your next heading, activating the event marker as you pass closest to the TP, whilst ensuring that the distance-to go-reduces to 400m or less. Without an event marker you need a greater margin, eg 300m and 200m; probably larger still if you are burdened with 12s sampling. You should analyse your trace post-flight to determine suitable values for the instrument set-up on each glider you fly.

Planning Beyond the TP. Too many pilots see a TP as a goal, an end in itself, without planning beyond it; you often see these pilots on the ground shortly after the TP. Well before the TP you must consider your plan of action after arrival; frequently pilots dither wasting precious seconds, or make poor or, even worse, no decision. Evaluate the direction in which you want to fly next eg 70deg left or 160deg right. Look for energy lines close to track, sunlight on the ground and climbing (not just circling!) gliders down the next track. Check whether the suns illumination makes the clouds look very different; when circling, occasionally look back behind you, and along the direction of the next leg. As you fly in to the TP you must have narrowed down your options to 2 or 3 alternatives, and be ready to make an immediate decision upon arrival. Difficult TPs. Turning a TP, and continuing beyond, can take considerable cunning, especially if the area is cut off by shadow or rain, or poor weather is advancing rapidly. It may be necessary to: Make a large diversion to attack the TP from a different angle. Enter the 90deg TP sector extending to 20 km radius behind the TP, without ever getting close to the TP. Make a long, careful glide in and out, which calls for fine judgement and confidence in both the glide computer and the performance of the glider. Wait for the poor weather to pass. In the extreme this could mean holding short of the TP for several hours. Only when absolutely every other possibility has been exhausted should you commit to a one-way glide in for a field landing at a TP. Make a GNSS Outlanding. This is effectively giving up. The only time to consider a GNSS outlanding in a comp is when it is unsafe to press on further. Otherwise you must accept that a comp flight either ends in successful completion, or in a field! Upwind and Downwind TPs. There is particular benefit in rounding downwind TPs as high as possible (so that time spent circling in lift takes you closer to the TP) and upwind TPs as low as is sensible (to minimise time spent circling and moving further away from the TP). Clearly the stronger the wind, and the weaker the thermals, the greater the benefits become. For example, in standard class glider with 15 kt wind blowing you towards the TP, a 2kt thermal while following a downwind track is roughly equivalent to a 3 kt thermal while following an upwind track.

PART 6 - FLYING TECHNIQUE

THERMALLING FINDING THE BEST LIFT AND CLIMBING IN IT The large majority of competition soaring is done using thermic lift, so it is right to afford most attention to developing this technique. However, recourse to ridge and/or wave lift will be necessary from time-to-time, so it is important to be proficient in these techniques too. Once you have located a good climb, staying in it and maximising the climb rate must be almost second nature, since time circling should also be used to plan the next course of action, observe conditions ahead and evaluate alternatives. Maximising the climb rate. Maximising the climb rate is of absolutely fundamental importance in competition flying, since the achieved climb rate is the main factor determining cross-country speed. The chart shows cross-country speed (in still air) against achieved rate of climb for a Std Cirrus following classic MacReady theory. Note from the graph how a small improvement in achieved rate of climb in weak conditions gives a large increase in cross-country speed.
140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 Ach eived C lim b / kts

xc Speed / kph

Centring. The ultimate aim is to get the glider into best part of lift, ie the core, as quickly as possible. Build up a mental picture of the lift distribution using every tool at your disposal: the seat of the pants sensation, the way the glider is moved by the thermal (ie roll, airspeed, pitch), instrument indications, and the relative vertical movement of other gliders or birds in the same thermal. In strong conditions, the priority is to get the glider into the core ASAP - manoeuvre the glider quickly and positively - while weak conditions rarely require or justify the extra drag of very large control deflections. Continually concentrate on maintaining the best possible rate of climb; this will usually require frequent small corrections to the circle to stay in the best part of the lift. When you find the core, it is important to turn tightly; this is vital low down, where the diameter of the thermal (and the core) will be much less. Too many pilots, even at Nationals level, mince around their turn at 25-30deg angle of bank, typically losing out by 0.5-1 kt over what can be achieved by turning tightly in the core; when in the core you should be banked at approx 40-55deg. If you lose the core, then widen the turn to extend the search area. Being Selective. You must be selective over which thermals you choose to stop off and circle; unless there are special reasons (eg you are getting low, or you are approaching an area of poor weather) then you should accept only say the best 10-20% of thermals, by setting a minimum strength that you are prepared to accept. Additionally, every occasion you stop to circle you will waste time centring on the thermal therefore it pays to take as few thermals as possible. THERMAL PRODUCTION In order to learn how to thermal efficiently, it is necessary to understand how thermals are formed. The theory of instability, lapse rates, etc is well covered (by Wallington, Bradbury, and Mike Throssells notes) so we will stick to more practical aspects here. Sometimes it is not recognised that there are 2 distinct processes involved in thermal formation: the production of a reservoir of warm air at the surface; and the imparting of an initial upward movement on the air (ie triggering). It is useful to understand these processes in order to predict the likely location of thermals, especially at low altitudes. Resevoir of Locally-Warmer Air. There are 2 main factors in the formation of a warm air reservoir: Energy Absorbed per Unit Area of Ground. This depends on strength of insolation (which is affected by the angle of the sun to the ground, cloud shadows, haze or dust) and the proportion of the energy which is absorbed (ie not reflected). If the ground is damp or wet, a great deal of the suns energy will be wasted heating and evaporating the water, so the ground will heat up slowly. Wind Shadow. If a particular area is sheltered from the surface wind, the air immediately over it will remain there for an extended period. If the wind shadow is also a heat source, the air will remain close to the source longer and so form a particularly effective reservoir. Wind shadows can be created by trees, tall crop, ridges, undulating terrain, and other barriers. Triggering. Trigger sources depend to some extent on the wind strength. In a light to moderate wind, fixed obstacles over which air is forced to rise as it travels over the ground act as triggers, eg ridges or ground features such as buildings or walls. In calm air, any cause of air movement can be a trigger (eg moving vehicles, combine harvesters or gliders being launched), as can locally very high temperatures, or areas of marked temperature contrast. Strong winds can present a different situation, when turbulence within the boundary layer can start an initial upwards movement of air, even in the absence of warm air at the surface. SEARCH TACTICS AND CLIMBING TECHNIQUE The larger the size and depth of the cu, the greater the amount of studying and searching required to find a good climb. The position of the best lift relative to a cloud will often be fairly constant over a long period of time, so it pays to work this out early in the flight. The best lift is typically on the upwind, sunward edge. However, this is not always the case, so it is essential to look for clues in each cloud that we approach, eg obviously growing areas of the cloud, visible rotation or movement, all of which are good signs. The timestep camera method (ie looking along track once every turn whilst thermalling) can be very effective for evaluating the development of clouds; but remember that clouds will look better defined when looking toward the sun than they do when looking away from the sun, especially if the sun is low.

We can consider several different scenarios: Shallow Cu. Typically <2/8 cu. There is minimal cloud shadow to disturb surface heating. Clouds are often short-lived, so those which look good from 5 miles away often have no lift underneath on arrival. Developing wisps in the blue often mark the best lift. Search underneath where the cloud is growing. If cloud centres do not work well, look for edges showing the most rotation/movement. Prepare to leave before cloudbase there is only a small amount of latent heat released as the water vapour condenses to cloud at cloudbase. You will sometimes encounter good lift in the blue, especially if some way below cloudbase climb in it and see the wisp form above you. Moderate Cu. Typically 4/8 cu. Increased cloud shadow effects. Be wary if there is no sun on the ground beneath a promising looking cloud, especially if you are low. Spreadout is more likely, especially if the air is moist and there is a strong inversion. Clouds are normally longer-lived than shallow cu. Cycling of conditions is common. Stay high to make use of the significant latent heat generation which improves climb rate near cloudbase. Look for a dark, defined base to clouds; the best clouds will have a concave base and/or tendrils (fingers extending down from the base of the cloud) which you should circle directly below. Where there is a definite step in the base of one cloud, then search under the higher side the air is usually warmer and the lift stronger. Large Cu. These indicate unstable air, and over-development leading to showers or thunderstorms is likely by late afternoon. >4/8 cu means that cloud shadow effects are important. Before arrival it is important to study the cloud carefully, to locate the best lift (look for exploding cloud tops from a distance and tendrils when closer) and avoid/anticipate the sink. Similar observations to moderate cu, but look for strong climbs against the downwind edges of rain showers, often marked by a line of tendrils. Blue. Look out for gliders or birds climbing. Haze caps or tiny wisps of cu sometimes mark the best lift they are easiest to see by looking down-sun through brown sunglasses. In the absence of these markers, you need to rely on ground features. Follow high terrain thermals tend to trigger from ridgelines and deviate slightly from track to pass over towns, fields, etc that are likely heat sources. Look for indications of winds on the ground converging as they are drawn in to feed a thermal eg smoke or dust, ripples in crop or wind-shadow on water. To maximise the chance of a climb from a specific source, approach from downwind. Streets occur just as they do when clouds are present, only you cant see them. So if you find yourself flying directly upwind or downwind in sink for an extended period, try moving a few hundred metres to the side. Generally, use similar techniques for blue streets as for when clouds are present (which is discussed in more detail later). Precise knowledge of the wind direction is clearly valuable yet difficult to judge by eye. Some GPS flight directors can estimate wind direction, but rarely to an accuracy better than 20deg. Low Cloudbase. Fortunately, low cloudbases usually mean closely-spaced although often weak thermals. Another benefit is that it is usually easier to relate lift to thermal sources/triggers on the ground. Due to the very limited depth of the operating band, it is necessary to fly relatively conservatively, eg MacReady set to 1-1.5 kts. It is important to remain over landable terrain. Stratocu. When the cu has spread out, head for the sun, and in particular where the sun has been on the ground the longest, ie on the downwind edge of the sunny area; approaching this area, you will often see a firm dark base and lively cloudtops marking the lift. Searching For Thermals At Low Altitude. If getting low, you should attempt to try every trigger source before having to land. Birds or gliders circling nearby can be a real godsend, so keep a sharp look out. Entering the Thermal. Hold the stick lightly and be intensely alert to seat of the pants sensations through the airframe. Seat of the Pants. Seat of the Pants sensations are absolutely the best indicator for finding the strongest lift in the vicinity. There is no lag in the response, unlike the variometer. Develop a keen sensitivity to: variations in g-load felt through the seat due to vertical motion of the air; feedback through the stick; uncommanded roll due to lift under a wing; uncommanded changes in pitch attitude (ie nose down entering strong lift); and airspeed (ie increases entering thermal). These sensations are relatively easy to interpret at low speeds (eg 60kt), but are much harder at high speed (85 kts) so try to develop your abilities at the higher
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cruising speeds and flying weights typical of competition flying. Apply the seat of the pants technique on entering thermals, while centring and while climbing so as to quickly maximise the climb rate. Shear Effects. Shear can result in lateral displacement of the thermal, and apparent loss of the thermal some significant way below cloudbase. The height at which shear occurs, & the strength & direction of shear, usually remain broadly constant within the same airmass, so direction and extent of re-centring are usually broadly constant, and best determined before the start! The position of the good lift relative to the clouds is often the same for long periods. On Birds. Look out for birds that are climbing. Check theyre not flapping or gliding between thermals! Gulls, hunting birds, swallows & swifts are all better soaring pilots than we are; the latter often indicate the very best lift, as they seek out the insects drawn upwards by the strongest thermals. If birds are soaring nearby, then its almost always worth joining them the lift will be stronger. Notice how they rarely fly concentric circles they are constantly swooping and re-centring to maximise their climb. On Other Gliders. You need to watch other gliders carefully. Circling does not mean climbing well, or even going up at all! Watch your vertical movement relative to other gliders at a similar level in the same thermal to assess where the best lift is relative to your circle. Be alert to the dangers of flying in close proximity and in gaggles. Gaggles can be helpful in the blue or in difficult conditions for marking the next climb. However, in good conditions they are frequently a hindrance as the gaggles climb rate is pretty much constrained to the slowest rate of climb amongst the gliders in it. Planning Ahead. As with every aspect of flying, you must always plan ahead both short & long term. This is discussed next.

PART SEVEN IN-FLIGHT DECISIONS

All cross-country gliding continuously requires both strategic (ie long-term) and tactical (ie short term) decisions; assessment and balancing of risk is a fundamental part of the decision making process typically, the balance is between increased speed and increased chance of landing out. RISK IN COMPETITION FLYING We are not talking about risk to life and limb, but risk of losing points by pushing on too hard and landing out. Reichmann recommends that you should use a constant level of risk in your decision-making throughout a competition; only in exceptional circumstances, eg going for broke to win from a trailing position, should you work to a markedly higher risk level. STRATEGY THE BIG PICTURE To quote George Moffatt, strategy consists of taking the long-range view of a course of action to see where it will get you at the end of the flight and the competition. Taking this big picture approach can save you from making hasty or rash decisions and wasting the valuable seconds saved by careful flying. Have a longterm big picture plan for the flight prior to takeoff, estimating time en-route based upon expected conditions. But dont be too rigid youll need to carefully monitor conditions and change the plan accordingly. Keep your options open. Look well ahead. Always have a 2nd (and preferably 3rd) choice for your next climb, so that if the 1st planned climb doesnt work you decisively move on to the next without wasting time. You need to know where to go before reaching the top of your climb. Stay high late in the day, since the thermals become weaker and more difficult to use low-down, and the operating bands base and top rise. In a crosswind it will always pay to stay upwind of track, other factors being equal. Always be conscious of the wind strength and direction, both at operating height and on the ground; large variations in both can occur over time and across the task area.

Blue Areas. A blue area on a day with cumulus means a change: either there is no lift (eg due to wet ground or a sea breeze); or there is a drier airmass. Therefore, if you decide to fly through (rather than around) the blue area, progress more cautiously until you have established that lift is present. Flying with (rather than against) another pilot. This is especially useful in the blue, when pilots can spread out laterally to sample a larger swathe of sky. If flying behind another glider, the optimum position is in the area of the upwards moving part of his tip vortex; ie off to one side by approx 1 wingspan. You can tell if a pilot is flying against you, because he only ever appears when you start to turn in lift; try not to let these leeches distract you or affect your flying, as sooner or later they will have to make a decision for themselves and get it wrong. HILLY TERRAIN With Nil Wind. Follow the crest/ridges, as these are usually the triggering points for thermals. Ridge Lift. Although ridge-tasks are occasionally set during comps at suitable sites, ridge lift accounts for only a very small proportion of competition soaring. However, it is a sometimes-overlooked fallback which can be crucial, for example during a lull in the thermals on a cyclic day. Gain experience of ridge soaring: above, below and at ridge-top height. Before and during flight note suitable ridges for the wind direction (and there are many throughout UK). During flight, if the weather ahead looks dicey, it will often be wise to follow a route which allows you to fall back to the ridge if the thermals dont work. Understand the ridge soaring rules. Search out bowls with the wind and the sun on them - sooner or later a thermal will come along, unless there has been a change of airmass and expect to re-centre into wind. Beware of upwind ridges or features disturbing the airflow for several miles downwind. I recall soaring a 1200ft AGL into-wind ridge in 25-35kt winds; there was another smaller ridge about 1km upwind, with the only safe landing field about 2 km upwind, to the side of the smaller ridge. Lift was off the clock at ridge top height, and for some way below, so I dropped down in steps of 100 to establish a low-point for a subsequent diamond height claim. I was stunned when, upon descending to 900ft AGL, the nature of the air changed completely gone was the 10kt lift, replaced by an obviously turbulent flow, like flying on cobblestones, with only marginal lift. I then realised, with the landing field probably out of gliding range, that disturbed airflow from the upwind ridge was to blame. Fifteen very tense minutes passed gaining enough height to reconnect. Wave Effects. Wave is not often used for competition flights, since it usually takes too long to get established in the wave, or to jump from thermal to wave, negating the benefits of the usually smooth, strong, high climb. However, during competition (and general cross-country) flying you will often encounter unexpected suppression and reinforcement of thermal or ridge lift which can be attributed to wave influences. Therefore, you need to understand the factors under which formation of waves is more likely, and be alert to the possibility of wave influence for some considerable distance downwind of high ground. In extremis, this would be revealed as areas of sink oriented roughly across-wind; however, its often not so obvious, and will manifest itself in scrappier looking clouds with weaker climbs. TACTICS IN THE CRUISE - MACREADY As you leave each thermal, the objective is to get to the TOP of the next one as fast as possible. When deciding how to set MacReady when in the cruise, you should estimate the average which will be obtained when the next thermal is centred at entry-height. Then reduce that value so as to take into account the reduction in the overall achieved average due to time spent centring, and also to increase range where necessary. For UK conditions, a MacReady setting of half the value you expect to see on the averager, once centred in the next climb, seems to work well. The correct MacReady setting for the final glide is totally different and is discussed in detail in Part Nine. Intelligent Application of MacReady. ALWAYS look ahead; it is vital that you detect at the earliest opportunity when its time to ease off and reduce your MacReady setting. Equally, you will not set a fast time if you delay increasing MacReady once it is clear that conditions ahead are becoming good again.
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Losses through Through Incorrect MacReady Setting. Range. Compared to the range achieved with MacReady set to zero, the reduction in range for the following MacReady values is approximately as follows: 1kt negligible; 2kt 10%; 4kt 25%; 6kt 40%. Speed. Consider a day with overall average climb rates of 2kt. Undersetting MacReady by 50%, ie 1kt, will result in a flight time increase of 3% over the optimum. Oversetting by 50%, ie 3kt, will similarly affect speed, but will markedly increase the risk of landing out due to failure to reach the next climb. Conclusions on Setting the Speed Ring. Only set less than 1kt when in survival mode. Its better to slightly underset than overset, because that will reduce the chance of landing out. Speed Control and Use of the Speed Director. There are 2 different theories on speed control: either broadly follow the speed director, having set the proper MacReady value; or choose a cruise speed and vary by approx +/- 10 kts in lift and sink. The former seems to be well suited to the benign conditions generally found in UK; the latter seems better suited to strong, sharp-edged conditions such as found in the mountainous areas of southern Europe. Dont chase the speed director. My personal preference is to broadly follow the speed director, whilst being very sensitive to the seat of the pants sensations, due to the instant response, which is especially critical when cruising fast. Whatever, you should pull up in lift, and push over in sink (but not < 0.5g, especially at speed, as the drag penalties become significant). Reichmann recommends that in gentle conditions (ie gradual changes in lift/sink) you should adjust speed gently, while in rough conditions (ie rapid changes) you should be more aggressive with speed changes. THE NEED FOR CAUTION To finish 1st, first you have to finish. Under the conventional task scoring system, there is a great penalty for landing out on a day with finishers; this penalty is less for AATs. In your early comps, concentrate primarily on finishing each task, rather than ultimate speed. If you can finish on every day when there are more than a handful of finishers, you are virtually guaranteed a top-ten place. DIVERSIONS AND SELECTING THE ROUTE In considering whether a diversion is worthwhile, you need to balance the benefits of a (likely) better climb against the extra distance (ie time in the glide and time spent climbing regaining height which wouldnt otherwise be needed). Up to 30 deg diversion for several km will have only small effect on the overall task length. Plan ahead, since diverting earlier rather than later, eg around an active shower, will reduce the additional distance to be flown. Note that the extent to which it is worth diverting off-track is indicated by the MacReady setting it is worth going further off course on a low setting than a high, because the increased climb rate is more precious than the time lost in covering the slightly greater distance. Judging the Distance to the Next Cloud. Look at cloud shadows on the ground ahead, as it is easier to judge distance over the ground than through the air. This is especially useful when close to cloudbase and the next cloud can not be clearly seen, or when the glide to the next cloud will use up a significant proportion of your height. STREETING Formation. The likelihood of streeting will usually be mentioned in the met brief. It usually occurs to some degree whenever the wind is over 10 kts, but for really good streets the following criteria should be satisfied: (1) An upper convection limit, eg an inversion, to limit cloud tops to roughly the same level. (2) A maximum wind speed within the convective layer. (3) Few significant terrain features (eg hills). Spacing. The lateral spacing between streets is equivalent to roughly 2.5 times the height of convection. ie if cloud tops (or top of blue thermals) are 8000, the streets will be around 6km apart.

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Flying Technique and Tactics. It is important to stay sufficiently far below cloudbase to allow the pull-ups commanded by the speed director in lift without entering cloud. You should usually set the speed ring to the rate of climb achieved when circling; a higher average speed will be achieved by stopping off to circle in the strongest lift, rather than artificially reducing the speed ring setting to force dolphin flight. It is usually wise to leave a street at or near cloudbase, because there is often no lift for some distance afterwards. If you are already close to cloudbase, look at the shadow on the ground to see if you are nearing the end of the street. Course Oblique to Street. Continued flight under the street is likely to be more worthwhile if: the street is oriented fairly close to the desired course; flying into a fairly stiff wind; or the cruising speed under the street is clearly higher than that possible elsewhere. However, beware of the strong sink to each side of the street, so when flying in that area, either after departure or before arrival, increase speed and fly at a more acute angle to get through the sink rapidly. When streets are well developed, you should expect to encounter much greater sink when transitioning between streets than you would usuallu expect between normal cumulus. When the track is oblique to the streets, time your transition from one street to the next so as to stay under the best looking clouds. FIELD LANDINGS It is worthwhile doing additional field landing checks or practice in the task area shortly before the comp, to examine crop states and any peculiarities. Stubble fields are nearly always your best choice; beware coarsely ploughed fields, especially those which have been baked hard in dry weather. In undulating country, it is better to land uphill; at least you know its not downhill! For any uphill landing you need to carry more speed in the roundout, which will be very short. Steep uphill slopes can be risky, and you will need to turn the glider through 90deg during the groundrun to stop it rolling back downhill. How low should you go? You must always ensure that you can land safely if sink is found rather than lift. At all times you must ensure that suitable landing fields are within reach; in England, this is rarely an issue above 2500ft AGL. Below 800ft, your primary focus must switch from completion of the task to ensuring that the glider can be landed safely and without damage. Be particularly careful in windy conditions, due to turbulence and windshear below about 1000ft AGL. Attempt to try every thermal trigger source before having to land.

PART EIGHT - WATCHING THE WEATHER

Always watch very carefully for changes in the weather and soaring conditions. You must detect them early. In particular, look out for: Cirrus. High cover can move in quickly, will weaken insolation and could herald the arrival of a warm front. The wind direction (and speed) at 30 000 ft is often very different to 3000ft; the Met forecast may indicate wind velocity at height. Alto Cu. Dont be fooled by alto cu, there are no thermals underneath! They indicate medium level instability and the likelihood of storms. Fronts. You cant usually fly through fronts. Steps in cloudbase can indicate a (weak) front. Thunderstorm fronts can give massive lift to high altitudes which can be used to good effect, especially in AATs. Change of Airmass. Be alert to a change of airmass, which means changed soaring conditions. Look for a marked change in visibility, cloudbase or cloud structure, or a change in thermal strength. Sea Breezes. When a wedge of stable sea air undercuts unstable air, thermals in the overlying unstable air become weaker and broken, and the clouds become scrappy before the thermals die altogether. Sea air will usually be recognised by its milky appearance and lack of lift, but sometimes not until its too late! Such sea breezes are common up to 20 miles inland (further up river estuaries, eg Severn, Humber) on a
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fine summers day, although they can occasionally reach well over 50 miles inland when the meteorological wind is off the sea. Do not charge on when the clouds ahead are obviously dying; if gliding in to and back out of a TP affected by sea air, gain plenty of height, to keep you in the unstable air above the wedge, and proceed cautiously to maintain a good glide angle so as to remain above the wedge.

PART NINE - THE FINAL GLIDE/FINISH

The ideal final glide will take you from climbing in the last thermal to crossing the finish line in as short a time as possible, climbing only to the optimal height, and not wasting time gaining unnecessary height. It is necessary to fully understand and have justifiable confidence in your flight computers glidepath presentation, and also to appreciate and assess the validity of the factors used in its calculation (eg headwind component, distance to go, reserve/arrival height, bug factor). Its easy to be on final glide earlier than you think, especially on days with a high cloudbase or on tasks when the final glide starts before the last TP I once started a final glide 110km out (cloudbase was 11 500ft!). I mark at 10km intervals the final 40-70km of the course; a comfortable estimate is that 1000ft is required for each 10km (this assumes a glide angle of 33:1, which is achieved by a ballasted std class glider at 80+kts in nil wind). Use of MacReady for Final Glide. Adjust your MacReady setting to the value currently shown on the averager. Your glide computer will tell you how much height is needed. You should allow some margin in reserve; during early cross-country flts you should allow 500-1000ft reserve. However with MacReady typically set to 3-4 kts for the final glide, you already have a reserve built in simply by winding down MacReady and flying more slowly. After climbing onto glide with your instantaneous average set on the computer, initially set off with MacReady turned down slightly, and ensure that you are gaining on the glide if so, increase back to the original ideal setting. Periodically (every 2min or so) adjust MacReady as required to ensure arrival at the desired height. Follow the Energy. It is important to follow lines of favourable energy when final gliding, just as when on task; remember that final glides are usually with relatively high MacReady settings, so you should not divert so far off course as you would with a lower setting. In the blue, if you find yourself final gliding close to straight upwind or downwind, try to follow a street of lift; if you find yourself in continuous sink you are probably in-between streets of lift, and should divert off to one side somewhat. Getting low less than 10km out. If you are on or below a marginal final glide, 10km or less out, you are entering a danger zone where the chances of crashing are high. At 5km and 450ft, the situation is critical, with insufficient height or time to safely select a field, or to be confident of reaching the airfield. It is more important to have some height reserve in the later stages of the final glide, as the chance of finding usable lift is less than it was at greater height. Safety. Be acutely aware of the position of other finishers, especially ahead and close behind you, keep a very sharp lookout and listen to the radio. Dont forget your own radio calls at 5 mins and 1 min out. Start to dump water at least 1 min out, earlier if heavily ballasted. Plan Ahead. Beware of gliders on the ground blocking large parts of the airfield. After crossing the line remain alert; it is common to see poor flying post-finish, with low slow circuits leaving little room for error or the unexpected. Flying the Finish. You need to cross the finish line at a minimum of 100kts at 50ft AGL to go around for a mini-circuit. Be very careful when finishing with anything stronger than a gentle tailwind: landing ahead is unwise, and moreover when you convert speed to height youll gain less height than normal as you pull up against the negative wind gradient. Dont forget your WULF checks! After rolling to a halt, clear the landing area. Small Sites. Flying from a small site, such as Bidford, demands that you plan ahead even more carefully. Beware of having too much energy to land ahead but insufficient to go around if necessary open the
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brakes before crossing the line to allow you to comfortably land ahead, assuming that the wind direction is acceptable.

PART TEN - WATER BALLAST

when, why & how much to carry? & to jettison? The benefit of water ballast is that higher-speed glide performance is improved. However, circling performance is seriously degraded, with an increased turn radius and higher rate of sink. Water ballast is beneficial, and can lead to increased cross-country speed, in the following circumstances: Thermals are both large and strong. There is streeting oriented close to track. Final gliding into wind. It can also be beneficial when climbing in gaggles, when all the gliders in the gaggle are pretty much constrained to the same climb rate, yet a ballasted glider will out-perform a lighter aircraft in the glide. Water ballast is a drawback when thermals are weak or tight, or when following a downwind track when the wind is brisk. Additionally, the laden wings degrade aileron response, which becomes sluggish, and reduce the pilots feedback from a thermal under a wing. The reduction in cross-country speed due to carrying insufficient waterballast is small, typically less than 5% in UK conditions. Conversely, carrying too much waterballast can reduce speed markedly. In order to gain benefit from carrying water, it is necessary to fly faster between thermals. The increased loading should be programmed into the speed director, which will then command the correct higher cruising speeds. These increased crusing speeds, coupled with the degraded control response and feedback, make flying with waterballast more difficult for less experienced pilots. As the main ballast tanks are fitted in front of the CofG, most gliders are also fitted with a tailballast tank, to bring the C of G rearwards again for efficient circling flight. Check the flight manual carefully; overloading the tailballast will make the elevator extremely twitchy, and a spin may be irrecoverable. Opinion is divided on how much water should be carried, and it depends to a large extent on aircraft type and individual pilots flying styles and preferences. When deciding how much water to carry, consider the weather forecast (ie likely thermal strength, cloudbase and expectation of streeting), tempered by your own judgement and experience, and the glider type you are flying. The LS8 is renowned for flying well with large amounts of water, probably due to its large wing area; indeed any glider with winglets will happily take more water than the same glider without, due to its better circling performance. In flight, you can dump excess water, but on both the Discus and LS8 you will dump the tail water twice as quickly, incurring the penalty of an inefficient CofG. It therefore pays to take off with the right amount in the first place. With my weight (including chute) of 170lb, on a reasonable English day with 3-4kt achievable averages, I will put 1 to 1 barrels per side into Discus, or 1 to 2 per side into an LS8; if expecting 5-6kt, this would increase to 2 barrels and 3 barrels respectively. Ensure that the speed director is set to accurately reflect the increased wingloading before takeoff, and is adjusted after dumping ballast in-flight. Water should be dumped if its benefits will not outweigh its penalties over the remainder of the flight. This is rarely an easy decision in practice, since you need to anticipate the future! If you are getting low (below about 1500ft AGL, higher if you are very heavy), then it is unlikely that the thermals will be wide or strong enough to support a glider carrying water, and you should start dumping; if you run into a good thermal then stop dumping. It usually takes 3-5 minutes to dump full tanks - time it for your glider so that you know.

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PART ELEVEN - OTHER IN-FLIGHT ISSUES

Use of Radio in Comps. The radio is essential to advise the organisers of your start time and your impending finish. I usually find the radio an unnecessary distraction once underway on course; the best pilots usually keep quiet anyway. An exception to this is when flying in difficult conditions (eg weak lift, low cloudbase or blue) when it is useful to know whether pilots ahead are landing out or climbing; it can also facilitate team flying which can be particularly beneficial in these conditions. In-Flight Refreshment. Dehydration, leading to poor judgement and flawed decision-making, occurs rapidly in a hot cockpit unless water is taken frequently. You should always fly with at least 2 litres of fresh drinking water, more on a day that is likely to be long or hot, and its far better to drink too much than too little. Camelbak drink systems are particularly well suited to gliding, and save fiddling to remove bottle tops. Be wary of sweet sugary drinks that do little to quench thirst or rehydrate. It is important to eat properly before flight, eg a sandwich, because it is more difficult to eat well in the air. It is also necessary to take food in the cockpit, particularly on a long flight, when sweets or fruit can really boost morale. My inflight food consists of 2-3 Kelloggs Nutrigrain (carbohydrate for energy, few crumbs & doesnt melt), partially rehydrated dried fruit (apricots, etc), dextrose sweets and nuts. Call of Nature. Unless you dehydrate yourself, you will need to urinate in-flight; this is usually more easily done in the cruise than when climbing, unless you are cruising very fast or the weather is especially turbulent! Large heavy-duty freezer bags, available from any supermarket, are easier to use than service issue fast-jet peebags. It is advisable to leak-test the bags before you go flying, and to double-bag! The technique of standing up on the rudder pedals is taught to Service pilots and seems to work well. Competition Psychology. Psychological pressures can and do arise in competition. Try to put them aside and get on with enjoying the flying. Fly for yourself and not just against others.

PART TWELVE - SUMMARY

In my opinion, this is what you need to do to fly fast and succeed in competition, in order of importance: 1. Enjoy the flying, and remain positive and enthused, regardless of what has happened already.

2. Be selective over which thermals you choose to stop and climb in use only the strongest thermals, unless you have no alternative. 3. Maximise the climb rate in every thermal in which you fly this must become second nature. The seat of the pant sensations are your best instrument here. 4. Choose the most favourable route through the sky, flying in areas of best energy and making maximum use of energy lines. 5. 6. Take meaningful climbs in only a few thermals, rather than short climbs in lots of them. Always think ahead of the glider you must know where you want to be before you get there!

7. Understand how to set MacReady, and always look ahead so that you do not delay changing gear (whether up or down) as it is appropriate. 8. Attempt to use every possible trigger source or save before landing out within your own safety limits. 9. Be properly prepared understand and know the glider, and arrive at the site prepared.

10. Understand the scoring system. 11. Last and certainly least, to have luck on your side when it matters (ie on the high-scoring day), and to have your share of bad luck on the day when it doesnt really matter!
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RECOMMENDED READING
The following is recommended reading for competition pilots: Helmut Reichmann Cross Country Soaring, 2nd English Edition, ISBN 1-883813-01-8, SSA Welch & irving New Soaring Pilot, 3rd Edition, ISBN 0-7195-3302-3, John Murray John Delafield Gliding Competitively, ISBN 0-7136-2224-5, A&C Black George Moffat Winning on the Wind www resources (you will find links to all these on website at www.nutterpilot.freeserve.co.uk): Soaring Symposia articles. Getting started in competition by George Moffatt, Published Feb. 2000 SOARING. RAFGSA Competition Training Notes by Mike Throssell. Sailplane & Gliding. Especially the following articles: Payne in the Blue Summer 00; Coutts Climbing Summer 00; Rebbeck Articles 01; Moffatt Articles 00.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Permission to reproduce and distribute is given as long as original authorship is included.

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PRE-COMPETITION CHECKLIST NAV BAG

mil charts of task area mil charts and mil scale rule Palmtop (incl leads, mount, batts, charger, CF Card) Laptop (incl download leads, charger, software) Protractor Permanent markers (variety of colours) Nail varnish remover pads, or meths & cloth Ordinary pens & pencils Notebook / paper Sunglasses Spare spectacles (if applicable) Soaring hat Flying gloves Suntan lotion Water bottles / Camelbak (2 litres minimum) Pee bags (supermarket H/D freezer bags, double-bagged) Current comp handbook Food (nutri-grain, nuts, dried apricots, dextrose) Mobile phone (incl landout number) & charger GPS and spare batteries (if applicable) Wing tape (lots) and red tape (for pitot/static) Personal Documentation: Gliding licence Comp licence Gliding log book Driving licence Vehicle docs (insurance, MOT, registration) Cheque book & card Credit card

GLIDER EQUIPMENT
Glider Log Book Insurance certificate Radio licence Parachute + sponge foam for comfort Seat back Batteries and charger, marked with glider tail no Logger, download leads & cal chart Trestles Tail dolly Towing out gear Tow rope (>10m long) Canopy covers Wing covers Picketing kit (soft fabric webbing, tie-down hooks) Ballast containers (at least 150 litres) Water filling kit (electric pump, portable 12V battery, large funnel, fin tank tubing, special-to-type tubing) Vaseline to lube and seal valves Grease for main pins / control connections

GLIDER CLEANING EQUIPMENT

Bucket, sponges and chamois Canopy cleaning duster Sparkle polish

TRAILER
Keys & spare All fittings Spare wheel, in good condition Jack and wheelbrace Number plate Spare bulbs

DOMESTICS
BBQ, cooking utensils Crockery, cutlery, etc Washing up kit Coolbox Beers / Wine, corkscrew Torch Deckchairs Rations Warm hat / clothes

TOOL / REPAIR KIT

Comprehensive tool kit for glider and car Tyre pump + valve extension Adhesives (Araldite, Superglue) Spare Yaw string Spare tyres and tubes for glider Puncture repair equipment

TOWCAR
Spare fuel and oil Spare keys Road maps, and old mil chart

OTHER USEFUL STUFF

Leatherman / multi-tool / penknife

MEDICAL KIT
Plasters, antiseptic Paracetamol, Ibuprufen, non-drowsy decongestant Abroad: Immodium, dioralyte.

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COMP PRE-FLIGHT CHECKLIST General / External DI done & signed Wings polished, taped Ballast valves lubed (not LS8) Water loaded wings & tail Keys, map, tool box in car Trailer ready Cockpit Seat Back set GPS on, programmed, co-ords checked & mil charts, prepd Knee board, Prepd (Start Sector, freqs) Marker pen Logger/Baro on, cleared; 12 s int; connection; GPSC (EW only) Sunglasses Spare glasses Sun hat Sun tan lotion Water Bottles Food Pee Bags Mobile + L/O Number (= ) Cash / cheque book & card; ID De-rig tool Warm shirt/jumper, showerproof jacket
stall speed incr / % 7 14 20 26

Post-Finish Logger to control Post-Fld Ldg Phone Control Power off / secure ac Phone when crew arrive
Discus / LS8 Water Ballast:

1 Barrel / side 2 Barrels / side 3 Barrels / side MTOW (525 kg)

wt incr / % 15 30 45 60

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DATE: MET: QNH:

Lift, Developments:

TASK:
w/v 2000: w/v 5000: sfc w/v:

FL = QNH --

Pres Trend:

NAV: Warnings:

Start

Max Hgt: Open @: Time: km ; ETE:

Sector(T): o/b track(T): hr min TP4: Leg 1 Length: Trk(T): ETE: ATE:

Task Length: TP1: Leg 1 Length: Trk(T): ETE: ATE: Finish: Freqs: Start/Fin (1st):
ATIS/Other:

TP2: Leg 1 Length: Trk(T): ETE: ATE:

TP3: Leg 1 Length: Trk(T): ETE: ATE:

(2nd):

Volmet S: 128.6 (N: 126.6)

Stategy:

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