Volume 8 No 3 Jun 1957.pdf - Lakes Gliding Club

THIS IS WHEREWE CAME IN .•"While we Were standing about ,discussing,this last flight a sudden sttonggust of windstruck the machine and started to- turn itOVCf. Everybody qtade a rush for it.Blank, who Was at one end, seized it infront .... AIl oyr effOrts were in vain. Themachine rolled over ... D. who had retainedhis grip', was carried along with it., and wasthrown about, head over heels inside themachine. Fortunately he was not seriouslyinjured, though badly bruised."W-ho wrote this? The Instructor incharge at 'the Wincham Gliding Clubduring the winter gales? No prize for theanswer. It was written by Orville Wrightin December 1903 describing the end of theday on which the first aeroplane flight wasmade.A MATTER OF SPEEDWhile carrying out category tests 1 havenoticed that very few instructors know thesimple and almost universal means ofchecking normal speed in flight. Manyclubs still send pupils on first solos indifferent types of gliders to those in whichthey did their dual training. Because of thisit is extremely useful to be able to give themsome means of checking their speed inaddition to descriptions of noise andattjtude, and reliance on the occasionallyfallible airspeed indicator.The pupil should be taught, while he isstill dual, that if he wants t,o confirm thathis flying speed is adequate, he shouldglance sideways alOng the undersurface efthe wing. If the underneath of the wing isparallel to the horizon or the leading edgeslightly lower down, the speed is sufficientfor nonnal flight. If it is slightly nose upfrom the horizon, the glider is TOO SLOWand the n0se should be lowered at once..With the knowledge that he can alwayscheck his speed positively by this means thepupil will have greater confidence in hisability to fly a strange type at a safe speed.This check works on all ordinary gliders,and particularly well with those used fortraining in this country. It does not. ofcourse, work when the brakes are open.B.G.A. CATEGORY RENEWALSAt the B.G.A. Instructors' Conferencein March this year. it was agreed that 50launches or 5 'bours as Instructor in chatgeon gliders during the preceding 12 monthswould be required for renewal of B.G.A.Instructors' Categories, in addition to therecommendation of the local C.F.I. or ameml1er of the Instructors' Panel. Therewill continue to be no charge for renewal.It was agreed also that the pass standardfor the Categpry teSt should be raised,although there would be no alteration to theQualifications required. Instructors whowish to obtain a category should applydirect to the B.G.A., who will send thc;m anapplication form and details of exactlywhat is expected. for the test. This will bedone, preferably, at the Instructor's ownclub ,by a visiting ell.aminer, or at a B.G.A.Instructors' school.-132-NEW INSTRUCTORSH. N. Gregg, CoventrY Gliding Club.Categorised March 1957.D. Lowe, R.A,F.G.S.A. Fenland G.C.Categorised April 1957.A. T. Morgan, R.A.F.G.S.A. Fenlanda.c. Categorised April 1957.ANN WELeH.THEBritish AviationInsuranceCOMPANY LIMITED•The oldest andlargest office specializing inCivjl AvjaJ.jprtHEAD OffiCE3·4· LIME STREET.LONDON. E.C.3Telephone:: MallJ:on House O~4.c (6 lines)