Flight Operating Rules changes discussion

[Bret Hess]

To help improve safety and protect our gliders, here are the FORs changes the board envisions for this season.  We welcome discussions before the board votes on them.

XC training has been modified.  Prohibition of XC flight was considered, but we feel that what we are proposing in “Safe glide” below is a good compromise of safety and opportunity.

New wording is in green.  You can see where it would go in the Bylaws structure

Definitions

Local Area Flight:  Any flight that remains within 10 NM of the airport at which the flight originates.

Intermediate Area Flight:  Any flight outside the Local Area that remains within 20 NM of the airport at which the flight originates.

Cross Country Flight:  Any flight other than a Local Area Flight or Intermediate Area Flight

Flight restrictions

Safe glide: Club gliders must always be flown within safe glide distance of an airport, which is defined as 50% of best L/D glide distance to the traffic pattern entry altitude of an airport, accounting for wind. Terrain considerations may reduce the available glide distance. At no time will a flight place the aircraft in a position where terrain is a factor for the safe glide to an airport.

Navigation:  Pilots must use a flight computer that shows a moving map, wind estimate and glide ratio to an airport when flying outside the Local Area 

XC training/qualifications

1. A member undertaking flight outside the Local Area in association aircraft must hold a minimum of a private pilot glider certificate.

2. A member undertaking flight outside the Local Area in association aircraft must have logged a minimum of 10 hours glider cross country time, or have a signed off cross country check out with an instructor. The training will be annotated in the pilot’s logbook. The member must meet the requirements of the SSA Bronze Badge as part of the check out.   The check out will also include using key features of glide computers and/or mobile devices as an aid to situational awareness, including (1) finding and obtaining information about the nearest airports or landing areas; (2) verifying the heading and distance those points; and (3) assessing the glide using parameters such as arrival altitude or required L/D.

3. A member undertaking Cross-Country Flight must have met the requirements of paragraph B above, and in addition, made at least three flights with excursions into the Intermediate Area.

[Bret Hess]

B) and C) again with better formatting (hopefully)

B. A member undertaking flight outside the Local Area in association aircraft must have logged a minimum of 10 hours glider cross country time, or have a signed off cross country check out with an instructor. The training will be annotated in the pilot’s logbook. The member must meet the requirements of the SSA Bronze Badge as part of the check out.   The check out will also include using key features of glide computers and/or mobile devices as an aid to situational awareness, including (1) finding and obtaining information about the nearest airports or landing areas; (2) verifying the heading and distance those points; and (3) assessing the glide using parameters such as arrival altitude or required L/D.

C. A member undertaking Cross-Country Flight must have met the requirements of paragraph B above, and in addition, made at least three flights with excursions into the Intermediate Area.