4. P2 on Puchacz, 21 mins. Use of trimmer – set the speed with the stick, then trim it out. Trimming for turns. Puchacz likes 50kt. Need to just relax in flight – it flies itself, I only need to get involved to change something.
5. P2 on ASK-21, 23 mins. Different trimmer – harder work but easier to get to. Need lots of rudder – more than feels right. Rudder and stick move together.
   Three phases to a turn:
   
   • Start the turn
   • Controls Central, slight backpressure
   • Exit the turn
   
   

   Think of it in these phases and leave it to turn in the middle – no need to correct it every second!

Pre-flight: CB-SIFT-CBE

Controls

Check for full and free movement of all flight controls.

Ballast

Check that the aircraft is ballasted correctly, given weights of pilots. Within permissible weight range?

Straps

Everybody strapped in properly?

Instruments

Everything seems in order? Altimeter set to local zero, or absolute?

Flaps

Check for operation, set for take-off

Trimmer

Check operation, set for take-off. (Set for recovery on the winch, level flight on an aerotow)

Canopy

Check that the canopy is closed and locked. Close the DV panel.

Brakes

Check that the airbrake works smoothly and symmetrically. Check at fully open and half-open. Close and lock.

Eventualities/Engage Brain

What are the conditions? Where’s the wind from, and how strong? Options for forced landing/abbreviated circuits? What will approach speed be in the conditions today?

Approach – WUFSTALL

Water

Jettison any water ballast

Undercarriage

If it’s retractable, is it down and locked?

Flaps

What are the approach settings?

Speed

Approach speed for the conditions today? Is your assessment from pre-flight still valid?

Trim

Trim for approach speed

Airbrake

Hand on brake. Got the right lever?

Lookout

Anything else in circuit or on approach? Check both sides, high low and level

Landing Area

Pick a spot. Check for aircraft on the field, tractors, by-standers.

A good landing is one you walk away from. A great landing is one where you can use the aircraft again…

I’ve always been interested in aircraft and aviation, and so I thought I should probably make the most of the opportunity to take it up while it’s nice and easy. So I joined the gliding club and have been on a couple of trips so far this term. The weather precluded flying on the first one, but I got three flights in this saturday:

1. P2 on Puchacz. 5 mins. Winch launch. Cable Break at ~600ft, so P1 flew an abbreviated circuit. 4 mins
2. P2 on Puchacz. 5 mins. Winch launch to 950ft. Experimented with glider attitude control and speed.
3. P2 on ASK21. 21 mins. Aerotow to 3000ft. Normal and Low aerotow positions—Prop wash in between! Turning and attitide control. Making turns using all controls:
   • Ailerons cause asymmetric drag on a glider. Right roll will cause left yaw, so must use right rudder simultaneously.
   • Centralise controls once desired turnrate reached, but need gentle backpressure during turn to keep the nose up.
   P1 Demonstrated stalls at low and moderate airspeed—wings not flying, high sinkrate. Recover with stick forward to gain airspeed.