Soaring Association of Canada2007 April 3
L’Association canadienne de vol à voileAmendment Sheets
Flight Training & Safety Committee
SOARING INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Showing amendments to update the Seventh Edition of 2003 March to the
Eight Edition dated 2006 November. (The edition on the SAC website is Edition Eight).
Page
B1 – 7Stage # 19, amend to add an asterisk * - these exercises may be postponed to the post-solo stages.
B2 – 7Add a new section, with the sub-title New Winches
There are some very powerful winches on the market that require a different piloting technique to maintain speeds within the recommended limits during a launch. These winches use either diesel or gasoline engines, or electric motors, and more often feature computer control. Using the latest synthetic cables, cable breaks are virtually unheard of while good launches are almost guaranteed depending, of course, on the pilot “getting it right”!
B10 – 16Under the section Rope Break Exercises after takeoff and at low height, replace first two paragraphs and last two paragraphs before Downwind landing with these new paragraphs: (note the student does not perform any rope break recovery exercise below 300 ft). [Changes are underlined below]
These manuevers are to be demonstrated first in all cases, but the student should not be asked to perform any rope break (from aerotow) exercise below 300 feet. See also the section on Rope Break Recovery Procedures exercise at altitude.
The mottohere is toplan ahead.Demonstrate these exercises several times, with the student following through, in each case after a thorough briefing:
•At very low height, just above the runway (land straight ahead on the runway)… etc.
Warn the towpilot and fully brief the student before each of the demonstrations outlined above. If any traffic hazards exist, do not demonstrate or practice.
These rope break exercises are to be done in the correct sequence and they should be completed before a first solo flight. Ideally the first two should be done at low heights that require a landing straight ahead (two demonstrations only, student does not repeat). This is designed to establish in the student the correct recovery and the landing straight ahead as the first choice for action. When this has been established, a launch interruption at 300 feet may be demonstrated, with the recovery and turn to land downwind on the runway. The student is to practice this, again after a full briefing. In fact, all these exercises are to be fully briefed before takeoff. The only rope break that is to be given unannounced is that required as part of the licence check-flight requirements (the break from sufficient height for an abbreviated circuit may be announced or un-announced).
B11 – 5Middle of last para on the page, amend relevant sentence to read: Release the cable by pulling firmly, but only once. When the speed has returned to the normal approach speed, stop counting …
B11 – 6Amend section entirely as below. [First paragraph and first bulletted item are changed:]
Cable break exercise from failed launch
In all cases, these maneuvers are to be demonstrated first. Do not ask the student to perform any cable break exercise below 300 feet. This follows the same procedure as for aerotow rope breaks. Demonstrate this exercise several times; each time first with the student following through, then this is to be practised by the student simulating the following different conditions:
•At a height from which a safe downwind return to the runway is possible. If speed and height are adequate for maneuvering, assess Situation (using SOAR technique) and choose safest Option for an emergency landing.
•At a higher height that allows an abbreviated circuit. Land downwind if headwind is less than 10 knots; when landing downwind select a new reference point, or RP, on the part of the runway closest to the approaching glider; orfly an abbreviated circuit but only if height is adequate.
Warn the winch operator…
B15 – 3Add new section at bottom of page (suggest cut and paste this piece!):
Recovery and rapid speed increases
Situations involving severe nose-down attitudes have the potential for rapid and potentially catastrophic speed increases. If speed control becomes an issue the preferred control technique is a smooth but rapid pull out at the buffet boundary or 4 to 4.5 positive g, whichever arrives first. This ensures a rapid recovery to level flight with minimum height loss, while the induced drag associated with the higher g will limit or reverse any further speed increase. Minimize roll inputs during the pull out and use a lower g-loading if the particular glider has a maximum design grating below +5.2g. Use of terminal airspeed limiting airbrakes for speed control in this situation has a number of disadvantages, so it is not advised. These include considerably lower g-load available for pull-out, higher cockpit workload, greater altitude loss during recovery, and difficulty of smooth and timely application.
B16 – 1Replace the para in middle of page with the following: [Last half of para is new]
Approaching first solo
When the student is approaching the first solo stage make sure he or she passes the pre-solo exam. The questions are designed to find out whether the student has fully absorbed important points covered during his or her training, to situations which may be encountered while flying solo, and to cover essential aviation regulations that include air traffic clearances, instructions and procedures as they apply to control of VFR traffic at uncontrolled airports and aerodromes, special VFR regulations, information circulars, and A.I.P. Canada supplements.