Re: Advice for a New Pilot?

On Jul 2, 10:45=A0pm, Martin Gregorie
<martin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> On Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:42:38 -0700, Cats wrote:
> > I'm not sure what the state of play in the US is, but at my club and I
> > suspect all others in the UK, we have to have our Bronze badge plus XC
> > endorsement before flying other than locally (e.g. attempting Silver
> > distance).
>
> That's certainly true in my club. Usually a newly minted Bronze XC
> Endorsed pilot would attempt Silver distance as their first XC on
> a day okayed by an instructor and after a thorough briefing.
>
> Once that's accomplished the next target is the 100 km diploma - again
> only after its been sanctioned by an instructor.
>
> It seems to work for us - unless the day suddenly turns to worms most
> pilots get Silver on their first attempt.

I guess we get a lot of worms north of the border!  Some of the Silver
Distance flights are downwind dashes from wave rather than a thermal
XC, but I'm not sure of the ratio.  Naturally most of the good days
(wave & thermal) are during the week so us younger (e.g. working)
pilots can have to wait for quite some time for getting a decent day
at the weekend.


> Before you ask, we're
> scrupulous about not permitting lead & follow or similar cheating
> for these flights and we much prefer Silver distance to be flown in a
> Junior rather than anything with better performance. New XC pilots may
no=
t
> get the speed leg of the 100 km diploma on their first attempt but
they'r=
e
> likely to complete the task.

Of the last few Silver Distance flights I know of some but not all
have been in the Juniors.


> > Of course an outlanding is still a possibility but they
> > don't happen often and there is a body of knowledge about where the
bes=
t
> > fields are (given the state of the crops) which can and should be
tappe=
d.
>
> Those without the XC Endorsement are expected to avoid landing out. If
> they get it wrong and end up aux vaches there would likely be a
discussio=
n
> with an instructor about deficient judgment.

True, but it has happened (and will continue to happen), and the
people it has happened that I know of to are still flying.  None of
them broke anything in the cases I know about, and I suspect they were
all learning experiences.