3e2a1b56-dafb-454d-87ad-86adea3e7b86

80
Part One
Introduction
Case study
Long Ridge Gliding Club 10
Long Ridge Gliding Club is a not-for-profit organization
run by its members. The large grass airfield is located on
the crest of a ridge about 400 metres above sea level. It is
an ideal place to practise ridge soaring and cross-country
flying. The gliders are launched using a winch machine
which can propel them from a standing start to around
110 kilometres per hour (70 mph), 300 metres above the
airfield, in just five seconds. The club is housed in a set
of old farm buildings with simple but comfortable facilities
for members. A bar and basic catering services are
provided by the club steward and inexpensive bunkrooms
are available for club members wishing to stay
overnight.
The club has a current membership of nearly 150 pilots
who range in ability from novice to expert. While some members
have their own gliders, the club has a fleet of three
single-seater and three twin-seater gliders available to its
members. The club also offers trial flights to members of the
public. (In order to provide insurance cover they actually sell
a three-month membership with a ‘free’ flight at the start.)
These ‘casual flyers’ can book flights in advance or just
turn up and fly on a first-come, first-served basis. The club
sells trial-flight gift vouchers which are popular as birthday
and Christmas presents. The club’s brochure and web site
encourage people to:
‘Experience the friendly atmosphere and excellent facilities
and enjoy the thrill of soaring above Long Ridge’s
dramatic scenery. For just £70 you could soon be in the
air. Phone now or just turn up and our knowledgeable
staff will be happy to advise you. We have a team of
professional instructors dedicated to make this a really
memorable experience.’
The average flight for a trial lesson is around 10 minutes. If
the conditions are right the customer may be lucky and get
a longer flight although at busy times the instructors may
feel under pressure to return to the ground to give another
lesson. Sometimes when the weather is poor, low cloud and
wind in the wrong direction, almost not fit for flying at all,
the instructors still do their best to get people airborne but
they are restricted to a ‘circuit’: a takeoff, immediate circle
and land. This only takes two minutes. Circuits are also used
to help novice pilots practise landings and takeoffs. At
the other end of the scale many of the club’s experienced
pilots can travel long distances and fly back to the airfield.
The club’s record for the longest flight is 755 kilometres,
taking off from the club’s airfield and landing back on the
same airfield eight hours later, never having touched the
ground. (They take sandwiches and drinks and a bottle they
can use to relieve themselves!)
The club has three part-time employees: a club steward,
an office administrator and a mechanic. In the summer
months the club also employs a winch driver (for launching
the gliders) and two qualified flying instructors. Throughout
the whole year essential tasks such as maintaining the
gliders, getting them out of the hangar and towing them
to the launch point, staffing the winches, keeping the flying
log, bringing back gliders, and providing look-out cover
is undertaken on a voluntary basis by club members. It
takes a minimum of five experienced people (club members)
to be able to launch one glider. The club’s membership
includes ten qualified instructors who, together with
the two paid summer instructors, provide instruction in
two-seater gliders for the club’s members and the casual
flyers.
When club members come to fly they are expected
to arrive by 9.30 am and be prepared to stay all day to
help each other and any casual flyers get airborne while
they wait their turn to fly. On a typical summer’s day there
might be ten club members requiring instruction plus four
casual flyers and also six members with their own gliders
who have to queue up with the others for a launch hoping
for a single long-distance flight. In the winter months there
would typically be six members, one casual flyer and six
experienced pilots. Club members would hope to have
three flights on a good day, with durations of between two
and forty (average ten) minutes per flight depending on
conditions. However, if the weather conditions change they
may not get a flight. Last year there were 180 days when
flying took place, 140 in the ‘summer’ season and 40 in the
‘winter’. Club members are charged an £8.00 winch fee
each time they take to the air. In addition, if they are using
one of the club’s gliders, they are charged 50p per minute
that they are in the air.
Bookings for trial flights and general administration
are dealt with by the club’s administrator who is based
in a cabin close to the car park and works most weekday
mornings from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm. An answerphone takes