Course appraisal - 2018 Alan Stoneham

The scene – a retired BA training captain takes to the skies in a glider for the first time on a 5 day course at North Hill.

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A typical gliding day at North Hill

At start of the day

  • Arrive at the club between 08:00 to 09:00.
  • Find the flying list either in the Clubhouse or in the Launch Point Vehicle (LPV) and add your name to the bottom of the two-seater or single seater column.
  • Assist the Duty Instructor and Launch Point Marshall in inspecting and refuelling the ground equipment if cleared to do so.
  • Take parachutes in their bags to the LPV, and the laptop computer
  • Assist the Duty Instructor and Launch Point Marshall to unpack the glider hangar and perform the Daily Inspections (DI) if cleared to do so.
  • Following guidance from the Duty Instructor, set up the airfield for flying
  • Round up the sheep into the enclosure
  • Position and setup the winch, tow out the cables with the Discovery (Disco)
  • Position and setup the LPV
  • Attend the daily briefing

Flying commences with club members taking an active role in the following tasks

  • Attach the cable to the glider about to launch and signal to the log keeper
  • Run with the wing
  • Logkeeper logs the flights
  • Retrieve the gliders with the Landrovers or Kubota
  • Tow out the cables with the Discovery (Disco)
  • Drive the winch

At the end of flying

  • Before putting gliders in the hangar, help wash the gliders  and remove flies from the leading edges
  • Under guidance from an Instructor, pack the hangar, ensure parachutes are removed and batteries put on charge
  • Return all ground vehicles to the ground equipment hangar and plug the LPV into the charging point
  • Let the sheep out

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more detailed instructions and guidance please read Operations and Ground ops manuals (pdf)