Safety Notices

Eastbourne Airshow 12-14 August

Beachy head and surroundings closed - see shgc.org.uk/notams for details

The perils of helmet mounted cameras...

http://www.nrk.no/sport/veko/1.7694281

Still, at least it was all on video...

looks like a swivel would not have gone amiss either.

Small maillon failure

The small quick link (copy of a maillon-rapide) securing the lines to the risers on a Paramania glider failed during the test flight of a new wing.

The wing was produced at the Gin factory, so a number of different brands could be affected. (Gin gliders appear to use the real deal)

Do check that your are stamped or engraved with the EN number.

http://paramotorcentral.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=31947&p=36703

Notam: If you cross Old Father Thames today, stay right of Brentford...

RESTRICTED AIRSPACE (TEMPORARY). RESTRICTION OF FLYING REGULATIONSMADE UNDER ARTICLE 161 OF THE ANO 2009 (MIL ACFT SHOULD COMPLY WITHJSP552 201.135.9).1. BETWEEN 0430-1000 ON 26 MAY NO ACFT IS TO FLYBELOW 2500FT AMSL WI AREA BOUNDED SUCCESSIVELY BY A STRAIGHT LINEFROM 514508N 0001309E TO 514055N 0000652E,A STRAIGHT LINE FROM514055N 0000652E TO 513232N 0000055W,AN ANTI-CLOCKWISE ARC OF ACIRCLE HAVING A RADIUS OF 17 NAUTICAL MILES CENTRED ON 512812N0002713W FROM 513232N 0000055W TO 513611N 0000311W,A STRAIGHT LINEFROM 513611N 0000311W TO513611N 0001830W,A STRAIGHT LINE FROM 513611N0001830W TO 515101N 0000025W,A STRAIGHT LINE FROM 515101N 0000025W TO515146N 0000006W, A STRAIGHT LINE FROM 515146N 0000006W TO 515155N0000120E, AND AN ANTI-CLOCKWISE ARC OF A CIRCLE HAVING A RADIUS OF 8NAUTICAL MILES CENTRED ON 515306N 0001406E FROM 515155N 0000120E TO514508N 0001309E. EXCEPT ACFT MAKING AN APPROACH TO, OR DEPARTINGFROM LONDON STANSTED AIRPORT, OR RAF NORTHOLT WHILST UNDER THECONTROL OF EITHER THE LONDON TERMINAL CONTROL CENTRE AT SWANWICK ORRAF NORTHOLT APPROACH OPERATED BY THE METROPOLITAN POLICE SERVICE,ESSEX POLICE, THAMES VALLEY POLICE, OR THE HELICOPTER EMERGENCYMEDICAL SERVICES OR OPERATED WITH THE SPECIFIC AUTHORITY OF EITHERCHIEF SUPERINTENDENT PETER TERRY OR CHIEF INSPECTOR STEVE OSBORN OFTHE METROPOLITAN POLICE SERVICE. CONTACTABLE THOROUGH THEMETROPOLITAN POLICE SERVICE AIR SUPPORT UNIT ON TELEPHONE 0208 34548882.BETWEEN 1900 ON 23 MAY 2011 AND 0900 ON 26 MAY 2011, NO AIRCRAFT ISTO FLY BELOW 2,500 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL WITHIN THE AREA BOUNDEDSUCCESSIVELY BY A STRAIGHT LINE FROM 513611N 0001253W TO 513611N0000311W, A CLOCKWISE ARC OF A CIRCLE HAVING A RADIUS OF 17 NAUTICALMILES CENTRED ON 512812N 0002713W, FROM 513611N 0000311W TO 512013N0000316W, A STRAIGHT LINE FROM 512013N 0000316W TO 512013N 0001255W,AND A STRAIGHT LINE FROM 512013N 0001255W TO 513611N 0001253W. EXCEPTACFT MAKING AN APPROACH TO, OR DEPARTING FROM LONDON CITY AIRPORT,LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT, OR RAF NORTHOLT, WHILST UNDER THE CONTROL OFEITHER THE LONDON TERMINAL CONTROL CENTRE AT SWANWICK OR RAF NORTHOLTAPPROACH OPERATED BY THE METROPOLITAN POLICE SERVICE, ESSEXCONSTABULARY, THAMES VALLEY POLICE, OR THE HELICOPTER EMERGENCYMEDICAL SERVICES OR OPERATED WITH THE SPECIFIC AUTHORITY OF EITHERCHIEF SUPERINTENDENT PETER TERRY OR CHIEF INSPECTOR STEVE OSBORN OFTHE METROPOLITAN POLICE SERVICE. CONTACTABLE THOROUGH THEMETROPOLITAN POLICE SERVICE AIR SUPPORT UNIT ON TELEPHONE 0208 3454888. AUS 11-05-0145. AS 6
LOWER: Surface, UPPER: 2,500 Feet AMSL
FROM: 23 May 2011 19:00 GMT (20:00 BST) TO: 26 May 2011 10:00 GMT (11:00 BST)

Big ears and stalling

This winter I saw another glider stall in big ears and analysed an accident where that was the likely cause. That makes 3 I've seen and several more I've heard about. All on modern, sensible gliders in good condition. In the last two the pilots were badly hurt.

The problem is that in big ears you have about normal forward speed and plenty more downward speed (a much reduced glide angle). As paragiders maintain normal attitude in big ears, the result is a significant increase of angle of attack. The result of that is it doesn't take much for the glider to stall; a bit of turblence, a shear layer, brake, some rain, line skrinkage or cell stretch could all do the trick.

Current advice is that big ears should be immedialty and smoothly followed by application of full speed bar to get the angle of attack somewhere sensible again.

I suggest that big ears + bar should only ever be used when actually necessary and I can only think of two possible scenarios:

1. If you're in a cloud, or have made a mistake and are about to enter, and are following a compass bearing to escape in the right direction (without a compass you might just go round and round or hit something).

2. Possibly when bottom landing in wind much more than trim speed to avoid landing going backwards, thus gaining speed with extra collapse resistance. But entering a slower and/or turbulent boundry layer near the ground is one of the causes of big-ear stalling. I'd favour just enough speed bar and rear riser control if it's bumpy.

Clearly, both of these scenarios are to be avoided in the first place.

I think any other situation is better handled with speed bar, spiral dive or just patience. B-line is solely for if you're in a cloud and have forgotten the compass.

Dual Flying

It has come to my attention that a small number of pilots have been flying dual while not appropriately licensed.

Unlicensed pilots may not fly dual with any passenger who is not themselves at least a licensed dual pilot.

I must remind you that this is strictly in contravention of BHPA mandatory safety requirements and they will be uninsured if they do so.

Duals may also only be flown when fitted with an appropriate certified reserve.

SteveP.

Temporary Prohibited Airspace - Air Display near Hastings today

From Dave's fine website, http://notaminfo.com/ukmap & our NOTAMS page:

H1193/11: Air display will take place
Q) EGTT/QWALW/IV/M/W/000/025/5051N00033E002
AIR DISPLAY/AEROBATICS WI 2NM 5051N 00033E (MARINA PAVILLION, STLEONARDS ON SEA) 11-04-0131/AS 2.
LOWER: Surface, UPPER: 2,500 Feet AMSL
FROM: 23 Apr 2011 14:00 GMT (15:00 BST) TO: 23 Apr 2011 17:00 GMT (18:00 BST)

Gentlemanly Behaviour

Once upon a time in the Southern Club there was gentlemanly behaviour in the sky. And it was Good.

Pilots on the ground were aware that they are the lowest form of aviation and justly gave way to all those above them. They even looked to check.

Pilots thermalling were given right of way and ridge soaring pilots would turn back before interrupting the thermalling pilot's 360.

When it was seen to be getting too busy, pilots would either thermal away or gracefully bow out after a few minutes ridge soaring to allow others the chance to do so.

In the early days of paragliding, once paraglider performance had advanced to the point where soaring was commonplace, we would often land unbidden to allow a waiting group of hang glider pilots free use of the sky. It would usually take only a few minutes before they were high enough to permit usual service to resume.

Wouldn't it be nice if those days returned?

Spring is coming... Chest Straps, Stirrups and Pods

The turbulent days of spring will be with us imminently; we have already had a few good thermalling days and February has barely started.

The rougher air may encourage less well informed pilots to change their chest/waist strap setting. Before doing so, you must be aware of the effects of the riser separation:

Too wide and although you will have good feedback and weightshift authority, this may become wearing. You will also experience increased spiral stability (the tendency to stay spiralling - not a good thing) and within a range of deflations you will get tilted more aggresively. This tilting can result in line twists.

Too narrow and you will not get enough feedback to tell you when to land, you are also more likely to suffer deflations and more likely to suffer line twists.
Every glider has a designed chest/waist strap setting which will optimise perofrmance and safety. Use it! If in doubt of the setting for your wing, RTFM.

The pilot's moment of inertia will also affect the likelihood of line twists. If you fly very upright, with your feet down, 'the old man position' you will exhibit pretty much your lowest possible moment of inertia and would be unlikely to get line twists. If you fly very supine &/or with your feet out as if in a stirrup or pod, then you exhibit a high moment of inertia. This is not all bad, but it can complicate the handling of big deflations. It is far simpler, whenever you feel a deflation is likely, to lower your feet and maybe also sit up. This has the added benefit of making most harnesses less rigidly cross braced and so more likely to ride out the rough air.

If it's rough and you are near the ground, say 100', you should go into the PLF position. You may not think it looks cool, but walking away from a 60% deflation and subsequent crash looks a whole lot cooler than the alternative. In which regard, the next time you are on the hill waiting for conditions, why not have a PLF practice session. It'll definitely be a good laugh, because most pilots are hopeless at them!

If you find you have a big deflation when fully supine, initially roll with it and bring your legs down slowly. What you don't want to do is find yourself rotating and then quickly lower you're legs as that will cause the rotation to accelerate.

In my experience, line twists are usually caused not on any initial deflation, but occur when the initial deflation recovers fast and the canopy violently rotates in the opposite direction. This is when you want your moment of inertia to be as low as possible.

Don't forget your sunscreen, I managed to get sunburnt on Tuesday!

TTFN
Steve Purdie

Cannabis

Nowadays the SHGC has to have a zero tolerance attitude to flying in our heavily used airspace whilst under the influence of narcotic substances. Consequently, anyone repeatedly doing so will be reported to the police.

I have received a report that cannabis has again been seen being smoked by certain pilot(s) on our sites prior to flying.

I am sure that all pilots are aware of the dangers and severe penalties of such actions and that therefore would not countenance such a foolhardy act. However, if you have indeed flown under the influence, I trust that you will not do so again, knowing the hazards…

Regards

Steve Purdie
SAFETY OFFICER
SHGC

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