A Question of Safety

ACCIDENTS 2010

of forest trees. It is a little hand held instrument that one looks thru and gives an angle. It is ideal for measuring the angle of a glider in the circuit from the ground looking up. Most times that I have done this I have measured less than 10 degrees. One can also take this instrument up in a glider. Well, a passenger in the back seat could. So far I have not had anyone take me up on the offer of measuring 30 degrees for them. Come to think of it, I am not too keen on such an experiment myself.

So every which way one looks at it, Mr Piggott is wrong with his maths. But of course I am not saying he is wrong to emphasise the use of angle judgment by the pilot. Indeed the calculation of these numbers is really just an academic exercise. Perhaps, however, they illustrate how we human earth-bound evolved creatures as we are, may often be fooled when we come to judge and measure things in three dimensions.

Seven accidents or incidents have been reported since January: of these;

Two featured engine start failures, one immediately after winch launch and the second low on a cross country flight. The distraction of the engine problem was probably a factor leading to accidents at outlanding.

Two featured landing short at the home field, impacting the fence or obstacles on approach. It seems that lack of familiarity with the performance of the glider in the approach configuration selected, with high rate of descent and limited penetration, contributed to the accidents.

One featured impacting the approach fence in an outlanding during a cross country flight.

One featured a ground-loop at outlanding in a rough paddock on a contest flight.

One involved failure to rotate appropriately in a winch launch.

It is a concern that six of the seven accidents were at the landing phase and the contributing factors have been identified in previous accidents.

The article by Arthur Gatland in this issue of SoaringNZ is clearly relevant to preventing these sort of accidents.

Safety Information. The GNZ Website now has a section devoted to Safety Articles, a resource which will help pilots and instructors to develop or refresh their understanding of gliding safety issues.

The articles can be found at www.gliding.co.nz/training/ safety-information

Welcome. Ross Anderson of the Wanganui-Manawatu Club has been appointed as Regional Operations Officer, Central Region. Ross’ contact details are on the GNZ website.

Currency. At the AGM I summarised the reduction in launches over the past four years. Rainer Kunnemeyer (B Cat Instructor, Piako) provided an excellent presentation on safety which included reminding us of the three ‘C’s – Currency, Competency and Complacency. These areas have been identified as contributing most to poor decision-making and accidents.

The reality is that over the 2006/07 to 2009/10 period, glider launches were down 31%, of which Club Glider launches were down 30% and Private Glider launches down 33%.

As we approach the next soaring season it behoves us all to consider just how current we are and to plan our season objectively, particularly the early soaring, having regard to currency.

It makes sense to rebuild our currency and competency in a planned way, if these may have slipped in the last season or two.