Joint XC & thermallling clinics with SE Wales club

[sherulz]

this xc checklist may be of help to you as well. i wrote it up for a se wales xc clinic for pilots to use as a memory aid and to add info in each section to help them for future. sorry i couldnt add it as an attachment so you dont get the cool calligraphy.
XC CLINIC 24 MAY 2008
PREPARATION
AT HOME: MAPS,RADIO/PHONE,GLIDER PILOT SIGN,SNACK/REWARD,CAR SHARE/ DROP OFFS,PICKING FLYING SITE
BATTERIES FOR VARIO/GPS

ON THE HILL: ASSESSING WEATHER CONDITIONS, SITE RULES AND RISKS,ROUTE PLAN,PREPARE EQUIPMENT EG RADIO, GPS, VARIO
REFRESHMENT/NOURISHMENT/TOILET

IN THE AIR: AIRLAW,THERMAL INDICATORS,MARKING LANDING SPOTS

LANDING OUT: ESTABLISH WIND DIRECTION,IDENTIFY RISKS,PACKING UP,RETRIEVE

ANALYSIS: COMPARE FLIGHTS,GOOD DECISIONS/BAD DECISIONS,LOGBOOK

INTER CLUB CHALLENGE
XC LEAGUE
BCC

NOTES
cheers sheryl

[AndyH]

Hi Gareth, I must be honest with you and admit that I was very nervous and concerned every time I went flying before my first XC, as I couldn't help thinking "is today the day and if it is would everything be ok", I admit that leaving a ridge for the first time is daunting as it feels like a safety net, but believe me the best way to do it is with pilots like Chris,Steve and not forgeting Sherulz that between them have thousands of hours of experience and will basically lead the way to your first short XC from which you will gain absolutely heaps of confidence to repeat again,and I feel that for someone like yourself that is able to thermal it would be a huge shame for you not to experience XC flying.

See you in the clinic Andy 

[Chris Dusgate]

Hi Gareth and Andy thanks for responding.

Gareth, UK thermals are usually gentler than those you'll have experienced abroad. it's unusual to get more than 5 m/s in the UK. The fact that you resisted the urge to leave the thermal and did climb in it is a good sign. Landing out in South Wales is a lot easier than other countries, thank the sheep for that as there's usually a lot of options. The only place where care is needed is if you are going over the back of say Merthyr or Foch Rhiw and the valleys behind are fairly narrow making it important to land on the down wind side of the valleys and not where there might be rotor. Naturally we'll cover landing out in the clinics. I suspect you'll fall in the first category of pilots I listed who might benefit from the clinics and hopefully we'll get you thermalling and gaining height and perhaps going over the back later in the day when things are slightly smoother.

Andy, you've already made your first Xc so we'll aim to get you doing more of the same,going further and higher. It'll be just like going flying with Steve and I with a fuller briefing at the start of the day and more feedback.

Thanks again to both of you, if we get 2 more it's on.

Chris


Chris

[gareth.pawan]

Hi Sheryl and thanks for your reply. Will really be interested to learn more about Xc and thermal flying. Must admit to being a bit unnerved though during my recent experience of powerful thermals - my wing was all over the place and it was quite a relief to get out of them in to gentler conditions!
Bye the way, am I right in thinking you are originally from Hirwaun? I grew up there way back in the early sixties. Mothers family are from station road near the old iron works. Often wondered why no one flies on the hills overlooking the village between Cwmdare and the old tower colliery?

Best regards,
Gareth
 

[sherulz]

just to reply to gareth, you are the perfect candidate, you have felt what thermals are like, and you now are thinking about things in relation to xcs. i am going to invite myself to one of your thurs evenings to discuss how to prepare for xcs as the more information you have the less scarey it is and the easier it is to go when the weather works well for you.  seee you soon. sheryl

[AndyH]

I would have thought it needless to say that I'd be interested 100% Chris, lets just hope the weather starts to play ball for us to hold the clinic.

Thanks Andy

[gareth.pawan]

Hi Chris, not really sure if I would be a suitable candidate for this clinic,(38 hrs post C.P mostly ridge soaring) but recently experienced some pretty powerful thermals whilst on holiday and just about managed to stay in them for a while and climb a couple of thousand feet. The one thing that puzzles me in the U.K. though is where do you land? Wouldn't fancy bombing out in a Tesco's carpark somewhere or worse, somebodies back garden! Do you ever run out of options or get chased or abused by irate landowners when you are forced down in one of their fields?   
I would be interested in learning more about this type of flying if you think I've enough hours and experience.

Cheers,
Gareth, Neath

[sherulz]

hi all. and just to add to that i am happy to come to one of your thursday meetings and talk about preparation for going xc, about routes , look at maps and work as a group to become familiar with the typical holding spots after the first thermals, and anything else to help lay the groundwork for the good weather. cheers sheryl

[Chris Dusgate]

Hi All,

Following on from Sheryl's posts and the club meeting of this month I've taken on the role of coordinating our clubs participation in some XC clinics with the SE Wales club. Sheryl has explained her way of doing things (which seems to have worked well in the SE Wales club) and I believe there are some members in our club who would benefit from this experience. The title deliberately includes thermalling in it as to go XC it's neccessary to be able to thermal.

The idea is to meet up with the SEW folks at one of our or their sites on a good Xcable weekend day. Notice will be provided 1 or 2 days beforehand and the main means of communication prior to arrival on the hill will be via this website.

Those pilots who might want to attend would be:
 i)Those who are currently happy ridge soaring on a moderately thermic day but want to further gain more height by thermalling better.
ii)Those who are now getting some height via  thermals and are now considering going over the back or have made some short trips over the back.
iii) Pilots experienced in XC able to act as markers etc, wanting to make the most of the day.

The site picked will hopefully provide the best XC potential of the day.

In theory (so i'm told !) XC flying is relatively simple, you go round and round and up in a thermal and then glide onto where's there likely to be another thermal and then go up again, in the meantime enjoying the fantastic views and experience of flying over your local countryside. In practice it requires a number of skills, many of which are subtle and if these clinics lead to one or two of our members getting high for the first time or going Xc for the first time AND ENJOYING IT then it'll have been a success.

A vario should be viewed as essential equipment and radios and GPS desirable, but not essential. Nick Roberts will be attending as well as myself, although he may arrive pm due to work on Saturdays . Nick's starting to get the itch to go Xc again now so it's a good chance to tap into his experience before he get's fully back into living at cloudbase! I'm not a qualified club coach but I understand that XC flying is not covered by that qualification. Notwithstanding it would be great if any of the club coaches could attend to help us out. If there is enough support we may have a low key handicapped comp between the 2 clubs on each day.

Please drop me an email if you are interested, if you want to discuss over the 'phone  landline daytime is 01792386343 and evening 01792386709. What these clinics will not be aiming to do is to push pilots forward more than they wish and thereby fraying anyone's confidence. Small steps forward will be the aim.This is a post CP chance to progress your flying within the club environment. If there's enough support I may even be able to arrange a retrieve driver.

Naturally if we don't have enough takers (min 4) then we'll assume there's not the interest in the club, no worries. It would be helpful if those interested could let me know by this weekend (19th) as there's a rumour the Azores high may finally make an appearance. (£5SMTPs)

Chris