Safety Briefing - 11th July 2020
In the eyes of a desperate and rusty pilot Saturday’s forecast could look epic. However, the various forecast models are not in agreement regarding how little, or rather how much, wind there will be. Some forecasts are currently showing winds strong enough to blow gliders back at 1500’ and of perhaps 13-15 knots in the landing field. This is double what we like to see. Notwithstanding the underlying wind we are also expecting thermal strengths of perhaps 3m/s at low level with very little reduction in strength until evening. If it is too windy don't push your luck - The hill will still be there tomorrow! Remember, if you break yourself, you'll miss much more flying than just one day’s gale hanging...
Remember that red ribbon pilots are not permitted to slope land at Devils Dyke unless under direct supervision.
It has been notable how close together everyone has been flying on the few occasions that it has been possible to fly at all. Please do try to give each other more room. Also telegraph your next move as clearly as possible. I'm not saying give hand signals, though not a bad idea, just make it obvious where you are planning to go and try not to make erratic course changes when others are close.
Once again, a number of pilots have 350'd into the hill, or very nearly so, recently. Fortunately they had all very nearly completed their turn and so got away with little more than a surprise stop. I would hazard that in most cases this was not caused by inexperience, but by rustiness and desperation to fly. Do take extra care flying at rising ground and remember that your skills will have atrophied considerably given the lack of flying this last year.
In stronger winds it is particularly important that, when top landing, you get your glider pointing into wind, even if you have already landed. With a paraglider it is never too late to be able to turn into wind, just too late to choose to do so. This will slow your progress across the ground significantly and may save you having to explain yourself to an irate pilot who's laid out wing you just trashed.
In that regard, please do not carpet the top landing area with gliders. Rig and launch or, if you intend to wait, mushroom your kit. It is less likely to blow away and less likely to be landed on. Not to mention that it gets less UV exposure.
In the same vein, don't attempt to land anywhere near rigged hang gliders. The current batch cost into five figures and your insurer would not be keen to reimburse you.
Mind the ice cream van and the inevitable hordes of the great unwashed!