Hi John,
A method used by a well known pilot to aid in maintaining concentration and
avoiding fatigue on a long flight was once every hour to consciously relax for
about a minute by making sure the grip on the control column was loose, and go
through all muscles from the shoulders down one by one and ensure they were
relaxed. Might be difficult if you are low, hot and struggling but perhaps that
is the time you would get the most benefit. I rather fancy our best pilots have
this state of relaxation most of the time.
I know that improvement as a pilot is sometimes difficult to recognise in one
self as it happens in small increments, but you are doing just fine,
Harry Medlicott
From: Trezise
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2013 9:11 AM
To: aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net
Subject: [Aus-soaring] State Comp Required Pilot Qualifications
Thanks for all the very positive comments both on forum and off-line ... well
there is always one !
After obtaining the C certificate four years ago, I concentrated on developing
skills to become a competent cross-county pilot. I can say this has been a lot
of hard work and has involved attendance at numerous coaching camps and
regattas to the point that I have now entered my first comp ... NSW Club Class
where I hope not to make too much of a fool of myself. I had put the Silver C
on the back-burner because I did not think this in itself achieved anything
(and was not aware that it was a pre-qualification for competition). Given
good conditions (ie a 10,000 ft day), the distance and height requirements are
not too difficult to achieve. But the duration element seems a bit incongruous
as a requirement for a “basic” cross-county qualification. G. Dale maintains
the best way to develop cross country skills is through short (< 2 hour
duration) racing tasks.
One issue which concerns me with gliding, is the emphasis on duration and
distance (through the system of awards and badges); particularly given the
average age of participants. With road safety (more or less concentration
required than gliding ?), the rule is have a break every two hours (fatigue
kills etc ....). This I do pretty religiously on the road and I think is a good
rule of thumb. I found in gliding, fatigue does set in after a reasonable
amount of time in the air. With good hydration and nutrition, and being
focussed on a task at hand, it is possible to extend the threshold, but fatigue
is still a factor. The danger is that the time you need all your wits about
you is joining the circuit at the end of a flight when there can be a
significant number of gliders doing the same. To be impaired in any way at this
time could result in disaster ... and has.
Contrary to the belief of one of the correspondents, I believe I am a very safe
pilot having had an incident-free career flying with the RAAF and subsequently
in 5 years gliding. I don’t think it is logical to assume that because I don’t
have a Silver C, that I am a danger to other pilots. I can assure you I have
flown safely in many stacked thermals and on task with many other gliders, and
recovered to very busy airfields without incident. Against this, it is possible
to achieve badges without ever having to fly in the company of other gliders.
I have quite a bit of flying to do before the comp with the Cross Country Week
at Warkworth next month, and Speedweek at West Wyalong in November. Maybe, as
Stuart suggests, the 5 hours will just happen !
John (VH GYF ...so watch out !)
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