by Rick Masters » Wed Oct 19, 2011 3:47 pm
Al, there's a lot of noise on this thread but if I can just cut through it, I'd like to provide my observations to your excellently detailed account.
A lot of focus is put on hooking in. Too many pilots have died for no good reason. It was never a problem for me. Before lifting the glider, I would lay down and check my distance from the control bar. I always did this. It was part of my unalterable routine. It just took a moment and then I would shoulder the glider. I would stand and allow the wind to lift the wing. I would stand and fly the wing with gentle tension on my hang strap. Then I would identify the neutral lift attitude where the wing weighed nothing - and hold it.
At that moment, I would banish all concern about launching unhooked. I had taken care of it. It was done. It was out of my mind.
Now I would look downslope. I would verify that the bushes or trees below were waving slightly. If they were, I knew that I would encounter lift during and at the end of my run.
Now I would look to one side to see how wide the lift band was AND to see if there was approaching traffic. Then I would look to the other side. If bushes and trees or flags were moving about the same far to either side, I could be assured that I was in uniform ridgelift or in the center of a large thermal updraft. In the event of a large thermal updraft, there is no time to delay because it will not last and you must launch into the first half as it approaches launch.
Now you look to your wireman. His fingers should be "O's" around your nose wires and not touching them. Now you have met all conditions. Timing is of the essence. You yell "Clear!", the wire man dives to the side and you run, holding a neutral angle of attack. As you accelerate, the wing will lift you off the ground. Do not push out unless necessary. KEEP RUNNING IN THE AIR.
Very quickly now, you will obtain optimum control speed. Fly straight away from launch, prone out but DO NOT allow yourself to concentrate on putting your feet somewhere or pulling a zipper. That does not matter at this time. Concentrate only on flying and the VERY IMPORTANT next step of working the compression or lift zone at launch.
Now you are airborne. You are flying. You DO NOT think about landing. You IMMEDIATELY think about gaining altitude. You must banish all thoughts about landing from your mind and think about soaring.
Do not 360. Follow the lift band back toward the hill at a gentle angle and set yourself up to turn away from the hill in an "S" turn. Fly toward the hill at a moderate speed where your control feels excellent, then when you turn away from the hill, exchange speed for altitude by pushing out. In my day, this was known as the "Chandelle Curve." When you are high enough to recover from turbulence-induced sink, you can begin to 360 in lift. You will want to slow down more for this - but always be fast enough to be able to pull in the bar, dive and turn away from the hill with good control authority. This is what will keep you alive when you encounter rough air - which you will.
Lift often fails, and when it does you will ALWAYS KNOW THE ALTITUDE AND SINK RATE that you will need to reach a safe landing area. Your fellow pilots will know this. Ask them. But understand this very important point because it can greatly accelerate your advancement in the sport: Don't think about landing until your altitude and/or sink rate notify you that it's time for that. And although you must properly set up your approach, DO NOT COMMIT TO LANDING until there is no alternative left. Work minimum sink all the way to the landing area. If you find lift, use it. Climb out. Go back to the mountain. You came to fly. Fly.
Home
is not going to endear them to you no matter how righteous your cause.
