Skills
Good Setup "AIR":
_____ A Air - Weather appropriate, watch cycles, birds, pilots
_____ I Inspection - Glider, harness, lines, quicklinks, brake knots, stirrup
_____ R Reserve - Check pins and handle, where to reach to deploy
Good Preflight "123ABCD":
_____ 1 Helmet strap attached
_____ 2 Caribiners Attached to wing risers
_____ 3 Harness buckles attached
_____ A Air - Weather STILL appropriate, cycle intervals
_____ B Being - How are WE inside (anger, intoxicated, pain, denial)
_____ C Clear - Lines and Air, brakes in proper hands
_____ D Do - A radio check (transmit & receive)
Other Pre-Flight Considerations:
_____ Site specific skill requirements or recommendations
_____ Club membership, waiver, fees
_____ No-fly zones, airspace restrictions (NOTAM 967-0283), congested areas
_____ Local pilot briefing or guide
_____ Weather expected for the day - stable or unstable, winds aloft, fronts, lapse rate
_____ Clothing - Appropriate brush landing clothes, boots, gloves
_____ Harness adjusted properly - Can you reach your stirrup?
_____ Instruments turned on and visible- Vario, GPS, Camera, Compass - all with fresh batteries
_____ Specific landing zone considerations (size, approach, glide needed, obstacles, prohibited)
_____ Ready and patient on launch, never first to launch, prepared for a No Go
Demonstrated Skills:
_____ Canopy in horseshoe shape or good wall built
_____ Strong ability to kite, both reverse and forward (5 minutes)
_____ Ability to do light wind reverse inflations or forward inflations
_____ Smooth transitions into flight with directional control
_____ Proper brake tension during launch - 'Contact'
_____ Good glider loading during launch checking glider regularly
_____
Proper ground acceleration for airspeed during launch
_____ Directional control into wind and directly away from launch
_____ Feet down until clearly in the air
_____ Smooth transition into harness after climbing to appropriate altitude
_____ Coordinated turns
_____ Proper brake tension
_____ Always keeping a landing zone option
_____ Long straight final with feet down
_____ Excellent flare timing
_____ Into the wind on every landing
_____ Ability to bring down the canopy in a controlled and smooth manner
_____ Demonstrate proper PLF
_____ 3 spot landings in a row
_____ 10 perfectly controlled consecutive flights at the training hill
_____ Awareness of other pilots in the air
_____ Ability to assess and adapt to the conditions
_____ Doesn't settle for or make excuses for a poor performance, takes responsibility
Equipment
_____ Modern glider with acceptable L/D with a minimum of 10 flights
_____ Harness with stirrup
_____ Appropriate helmet
_____ Reserve parachute with recent repack (1 year)
_____ Working radio with fresh batteries and ability to operate (PTT in helmet with finger switch)
_____ Water and food - energy bars, emergency rations, glucose for diabetics, medicines
_____ Good footwear
_____ Accessories - hat, sun block, glasses, flight suit, extra batteries, money, cell phone, ride sign
_____ Survival gear - flashlight, matches or lighter, mirror, first aid kit, beacon, floss, saw, tree kit
_____ Vario, GPS, Compass, Camera
Conversations
Hazards:
_____ Power lines
_____ Rotor
_____ Other pilots
_____ Terrain clearance
_____ Footing
_____ Landing zone considerations (size, approach, glide needed, obstacles)
_____ Water landings
_____ Changing weather
_____ Thermic conditions
_____ Terrain clearance
_____
Emotional state
_____ Physical state
_____ FAA guidelines
_____ Skill level
_____ Community guidelines
_____ Emergency procedures and considerations
Maneuvers:
_____ Big Ears
_____ Asymmetric collapses
_____ Frontal collapses
_____ Riser twists
_____ Stabilo pull
_____ B-Line stall
_____ Stall and spin avoidance
_____
Deep or parachutal stall recovery (speed system & tweaking the A's)
_____ Reserve toss
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