Current Issue

From a nine-hour flight crossing four nations in an Arcus M, to reviews of an affordable cross-country glider for those on a limited budget, you can read about it in the Aug-Sept issue of S&G. Discover the ingredients of a safe field landing and learn how to make wise choices when gliding in and around a MATZ.

When Geoff Burtenshaw attended the ‘adventurous competitions’ forum at the BGA Sporting Conference in February, he was in awe of adventure soaring. Little did he know that a month later he would be experiencing it first-hand. During a club exped to Denbigh, Geoff accepted the offer of a flight with Chris Gill – to Northern Ireland! Advised that it would be a long day, Geoff wondered how to prepare himself for such a flight both physically and mentally. Meticulously planned in advanced, Chris had an Airspace Coordination Notice ‘in the bank’ for a flight crossing various airspaces and had spotted the potential of 18 March. Plan A was to absolutely not land out in Northern Ireland. A ferry to collect the glider would be costly and the retrieve would likely take days. This proved unnecessary as the nine-hour flight from Denbigh saw the pair fly over to Northern Ireland and back across the sea to Scotland before the return trip to Wales. Chris is already planning something ‘much bigger’ – watch this space.

If you want to venture cross-country (perhaps not as far as Chris), the second glider in our ‘affordable gliders’ series is the Kestrel, perfect for both cross-country and competitions. We hear from two owners about their experiences, one with a Kestrel 22 and the other with a Kestrel 19. While Kestrels are perhaps a bit old fashioned, there is little to compete with them on glide angle per pound and they are very competent cross-country machines for those on a limited budget. They are also competitive in the right conditions. Next issue the focus is on the PIK.

During any cross-country you must be prepared to land out and be aware of potential hazards facing you when landing away from the airfield. Field landings account for nearly a fifth of all UK gliding accidents, almost a quarter of serious and minor injuries, and a similar fraction of written-off and substantially damaged gliders. The most serious accidents occur before the glider reaches the field. Spins while manoeuvring for a field have killed eight pilots and seriously inured 20. Fatalities and injuries have also resulted from colliding with trees, posts, and other obstacles on approach into the field. The BGA Safety Team reminds us of the ingredients of a safe field landing. With early thinking, careful assessment, and a focus on flying the glider, it should be possible to avoid the most serious injuries and greatly reduce the likelihood of damaging your glider.

Landing out isn’t the only potential risk to be aware of when flying in shared airspace, with around 40 Airprox involving gliders recorded in each of the past three years. Glider pilot behaviour in and around a MATZ (Military Air Traffic Zone) is a topic that often provokes strong opinions. Many believe it is common sense to engage with Air Traffic Control to ensure safe passage through a potentially hazardous area. Others take the view that because it isn’t a legal requirement, there’s no need. Near misses do happen and the chances are in glider vs military aircraft, the glider isn’t going to win. Experts across the fields of gliding and military aviation have been consulted to offer ways forward to make wise choices when gliding near and within a MATZ.

Also in this issue: Mason Maxwell is in the spotlight for our pilot profile. There’s a report on the second year of the BGA’s National Women’s Go Gliding Weekend initiative. Quick thinking and training enable Herrie ten Cate to land safely after smelling smoke mid-flight. Anthony Smith and Mark Recht look at a manageable approach to the Pawnee AD. Dominic Newton discovers the processes and pitfalls on the road to achieving a Part 66L Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence. Kevin Atkinson looks at summer thermals. Slingsby test pilot Allan Pratt is remembered by David Dodds. Alison Randle says it’s time to celebrate our volunteers. Pete Stratten looks at reducing the load for a shrinking number of inspectors. Andrew Jarvis reflects on the rally venues old and new. Plus, many more of your stunning images in the Gallery pages.

Fly safely and have fun