Volume 40 No 4 Aug-Sept 1989.pdf - Lakes Gliding Club

YOUR LETIERS
of indicated l1eight of 1000ft in 10sec gives a
rate of climb of, 6000ft/min or 60kt up when it
is, as we all well know, zero. For the above
instrument to be accurate, some form 01 inertia
system would be required to maintain it in ,the
vertical.
Secondly, on the compass solenoid theory, I
can only comment on the erratic compass
errors whilst accelerating, decelerating and
turning in a thermal and say they are too
unreliable.
In conclusion, for vertical speed calculations
use an altimeter and stop-watch, for centring
in a thermal use your backside and watch
birds and other aircraft in the same thermal
and for final glide calculations use a map and
MK1 eyeball with a John Willy calculator for
reference.
RON SMITH, Fen/and GC
REVIEWS
Accidents to Gliders 1987 is available from
the BGA sales department at £ 1.25p including
p&p.
liS BGA publication, with a foreword by
John Shipley, chairman of the BGA Safety
Panel, makes more encouraging reading than
usual with the accident rate for 1987 (0.33/
1000 launches) being the lowest in ten years.
And although the memory of 1987 is of yet
another poor season, launches compared with
1986 increased by 4.6%, total hours by 1.8%,
flying members by 2.8% and temporary members
by 6.8%.
There were 150 accidenllincident reports
with 123 gliding accidents assessed for cause,
excluding accidents to tugs (3), motor gliders
(8), gliding incidents (9) and non flying
accidents, ie without a pilot in the glider (6).
But on the black side nine pilots and crew
were killed. Four gliding accidents involved five
fatalities and a motor glider pilot was killed as
well as three In two tugs but not while
aerotowillg.
There were only five serious injury accidents
compared with 11 the year before and a ten
year average of BA/year. And 13 pilots and
crew in 12 accidents had minor injuries compared
with the ten year average of 15.2/year.
Winch launching and autotowing continued
to be a source of serious accidents. During
1987 one .pilot was killed when his glider
either rolled on the cable, or tip stalled and
flicked into a spin from a low height. Although
Infrequent, there have been at least seven
accidents of this type in recent years with
serious damage to the glider and serious
injuries in some, cases.
There was serious damage to gliders in ten
accidents (two involving minor injuries) with
minor damage to a further 15. The only third
August/September 1989
party damage was when a broken cable drifted
outside the airfield.
The accident rate for winch and autotow
launches is one in 13500, a 60% increase
over 1984 and 1985. The accident rate for
~erotowing. is one in 17000 launches making
It a lower risk ,than wire launching.
Inadvertant stalling and spinning accidents
resulted in one fatality, two pilots seriously
injured, olle with minor injuries and one
without injury. Tllere was substantial .damage
to the gliders.
'In, reviewing the year it was stressed that
there should be regular stall reinforcement
exercises so that all pilots recognise stall
symptoms and alloidthe root causes of poor
co-ordinal1ol) and lIight at high angles of
attack. It is only through improved ab-initio
training, regular checks and refresher training
that risks will be reduced.
Poor soaring airmanship featured in four
serious accidents, one a double ,fatality in a hill
soaring Collision. Other serious. acCidents
included' a marginal final glide after failing to
contact wave, radio distractions while hill
scraping and a misjudged field landing in
squall conditions. Nine accidents were
assessed as being due to poor airmanship.
There were five serious damage accidents
during field landings with only one serious
injury. This flight was in a progressively
increasing wind and the approach was complicated
by power wires. The heavy 'landing
caused spinal injuries. A further 19 accidents
resulted in minor damage' to the gliders. The
pilots were mostly well experienced ranging
from Silver badge to compelilion pilot. There
were only three Bronze badge pilots and one
on his first solo.
Eight accidents during the circuit and
approach caused serious damage to the
gliders and 16 resulted in minor damage. it is
considered thal recognition of the undershoot
from the relative movement of a reference
point up the canopy, still seems to be -badly
taught if the failure of the pilot& to take corrective
action is anything to go, by.
There were five minor accidents due to
collisions with stationary tractors, boundary
fences, parked, gliders or airfield crops.
Two substantial damage accidents with no
injuries and three with minor damage with one
minor injury were attributed to the instructor
taking over too late. This is significantly less
than in 1984, 1985 and 1986. In addition
there were 13 dual flying accidents with substantial
damage and 20 with minor damage,
minor injuries occurring to four pilots and crew
and one to the crew only. 11 is noticeable that
accidents to two-seaters seldom produce
serious injury.
One pilot was killed after the fin and rudder
became detached on a winch launch and a
Skylark 4 had an airbrake open on tow due to
failing to make the connection. The pilot was
released over the airfield but despite being
aware of the problem undershot.
In three accidents pilots had crushed
vertebra but high density foam seat cushions,
which reduce the risk of spinal injury, are still
not widely used.
BGA Guide to Tug Operating Procedures,
£7.50, including p&p from the BGA.
The BGA has produced an excellent manual
on tug operating procedures which is an
essential basis for all clubs who use aerotow
launching or who are considering it in the
future.
11 is based on David Oliver's notes for
Lasham lug pilots, but all clubs can use them
adapted as nece sary to their own needs
where ,conditions dictate special or other
operating procedures. Readers will recall
David's excellent article in the August 1988
issue 0/ S&G, 1P170, on the choice of tugs and
their operating costs, and Bill Scull has drawn
on his prodigious depth of knowledge on the
subject in putting together the fund of information
in this manual'. The combination of Bill
and David has produced what must be the
standard work on this topic for all time.
Section 1 on Pilots covers such diverse
points as who should and may fly lugs, with
reference to recency and total experience
(- and new clubs should pay very special
attention to this, as there is a tendency at first
to accept pilots who have little or no gliding
experience; it is much better to have a ,Iow
time power pilot who is a gliding instructor
than a 1ooo+hour pilot with no gliding background),
field landings and who should be
allowed to retrieve gliders, and flying passengers
in tugs.
Section 2 on Technical Matters and Section
3 on The Aerotow are both essential
reading for all tug pilots as the former will help
to extend tug engine life by emphasising the
correct handling techniques while the lalter
sets out the ideal circuit pallerns and
emergencies etc.
Section 4 on Training and Type Conversions
is mainly for lugmasters, but has a very
interesting section for tug pilots on the characleristics
of different tug aircraft - Robin Regent
DR400, Pawnee 235, Ral1ye 180T and Piper
Super Cub 180 alld 150 - together with all
'vital actions for each aircraft.
Sec,tion, 5 Is on Noise Abatement Procedures
Which is becoming more and more
important these days - especially on new
sites.
Section 8, Is on Cross-Country and Field
Retrieves.
Finally there are appendices on The Basic
CPL (setting out the requirements for
remunerated tug pilots), factors in tug upset
accidents, dropping tow ropes, sources of tug
pilots and key safety and training points.
Ideally all tug pilots should have a copy of
the manual with his own club's amendments
and additions to cover the local flying orders
and special rules, but at least every club must
have one available for all pilots to read.
B. H. BRYCE-SMITH
Please send all editorial copy to
281 Queen Edith's Way,
Cambridge CBI 4NH, not the
BGA office.
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