ChicagoLand Glider Council
www.chicagolandglidercouncil.com
Presenters
John Baker
FAA Certificates:
Flight Instructor
Glider
Ground Instructor
Advanced
Commercial Pilot
Glider
Civil Air Patrol
Operations Qualifications:
Glider Pilot
Orientation Pilot
Flight Instructor
Check Pilot
Check Pilot Examiner
Michael (Mike) Vaughn
FAA Certificates:
Flight Instructor
Airplane Single And Multiengine
Glider
Ground Instructor
Advanced
Instrument
Commercial Pilot
Airplane Single Engine Land
Airplane Multiengine Land
Instrument Airplane
Glider
Senior Parachute Rigger
Back
Chest
Civil Air Patrol
Operations Qualifications:
Glider Pilot
Orientation Pilot
Flight Instructor
Why a Glider?
Learn Something New
 Flying closer to “like a bird”
 Flying a glider takes the mystery out off power off
landings
 Learn to manage the energy better when landing
 Lean to fly more coordinated to have longer flights
 Learn tight Formation Flying
Background on Gliders
 Age to solo a glider (14) vs drive a car or solo in an
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airplane.
AOPA Flight training magazine Dec 2009 – What else
can you do?
Do I need a current medical or Drivers License?
Do I need a student pilot certificate?
Do some gliders have motors?
How safe is it?
Position of the United States Air Force Academy
The one fatality in Illinois between
1/1/2002 and 12/31/2012
 NTSB Factual – Accident on 7/4/2010. Physician
treating the pilot indicated that he was:
 Under treatment with tablets and injections for
diabetes,
 Medication for attention deficit disorder,
 Medication for anxiety.
 Prescribed a continuous positive airway pressure
(CPAP) device for sleep apnea.
One fatality in Illinois between
1/1/2002 and 12/31/2012
 From NTSB Probable Cause :
 On-scene examination of the wreckage revealed no
preimpact anomalies that would have precluded
normal operations,
 The investigation could not determine what role, if
any, the pilot’s medications or medical conditions may
have played in the accident.
The United States Air Force
Academy
 Colonel; Joseph L. Coates USAF (Retired) pioneered
the “Soar for all program”. When asked why?
 “I was charged with ensuring that all cadets were
thoroughly schooled in the basic principals of flight
before they ever advanced to specialized flight
training. I could think of no aircraft more practical,
economical and motivational than a glider”
“Miracle on the Hudson”
 US Airways jetliner lost power and landed soon after
takeoff in New York’s Hudson River on January 15,
2009.
The United States Air Force
Academy
 Capt. Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger, graduated from
the Air Force Academy in 1973.
 Sullenberger served as a glider pilot instructor at the
Air Force Academy.
United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
FAR/AIM – Knowledge
Test Required?
 Sec. 61.63 Additional aircraft ratings
 (b) Additional category rating. An applicant who holds a
pilot certificate and applies to add a category rating to
that pilot certificate:

(5) Need not take an additional knowledge test, provided the
applicant holds an airplane, rotorcraft, powered-lift, or airship
rating at that pilot certificate level.
FAR/AIM – Transition Pilot
 Sec. 61.109 (f) For a glider category rating.
 (1) …not logged at least 40 hours of flight time aircraft, …must log at least
10 hours of flight time in a glider...
 (i) 20 flights in a glider...
 (ii) 2 hours of solo flight time in a glider..., with not less than 10 launches and
landings being performed.
 (2) …logged at least 40 hours of flight time in a heavier-than-air aircraft,
…must log at least 3 hours of flight time in a glider...
 (i) 10 solo flights...and
 (ii) 3 training flights with an authorized instructor...
FAR/AIM – Transponder
 91.215 ATC transponder and altitude
 reporting equipment and use.
 (1) All aircraft. In Class A, Class B, and Class C airspace
areas;
 (2) All aircraft. In all airspace within 30 nautical miles
of an airport listed in appendix D, section 1 of this part
from the surface upward to 10,000 feet MSL;
FAR/AIM – Transponder
 Sec. 91.215
 (b) All airspace…
 (5) All aircraft except any aircraft which was not
originally certificated with an engine-driven electrical
system or which has not subsequently been certified
with such a system installed, balloon, or glider—
FAR/AIM – Towline
 § 91.309(3) The towline used has breaking strength not less than 80
percent of the maximum certificated operating weight of the glider
...and not more than twice this operating weight.
 However, the towline used may have a breaking strength more than
twice the maximum certificated operating weight of the glider…if—
 (i) A safety link...at the...glider...with a breaking strength not less than
80 percent of the maximum certificated operating weight of the
glider...or greater than twice this operating weight;
 (ii) A safety link ...at the..towing aircraft with a breaking strength
greater, but not more than 25 percent greater, than that of the safety
link at the towed glider ...end of the towline and not greater than twice
the maximum certificated operating weight of the glider
Gliderport Operations
 Are there extra steps when pre-flighting a glider?
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Positive control check
Remove External Equipment - tail dolly, wingtip wheels,
aileron, rudder, elevator locks and pitot tube cover
 What about the towrope (a.k.a. towline)?
 First thing you do after attaching the towrope to the
towplane and glider.
Positive Control Check
Towline How long?
 FAA Glider Flying Handbook Page 8-2
 ...use a towline of adequate length—200 feet is the
minimum length for normal operations.
 A longer towline provides more isolation from
towplane wake during aerotow launch.
 Short towlines, on the other hand, keep the glider
closer to the towplane and its turbulent wake,
complicating the problem of controlling the glider
Wing Runner
 Get’s by standers outside the wing tip
 Shows Glider Pilot the ring on the rope and gets approval
 Attaches ring on rope to glider
 Motions for tow plane to take up the slack
 Motions for the tow plane to stop
 Waits for thumbs up from glider pilot that he is ready
 Does visual check that Airbrake is closed
 Scans sky for traffic in pattern
 Lifts wing
 After pilot starts to waggle rudder, motions to begin takeoff
 Runs a few steps with wing
Wing Rings to attach
to the Glider
Blanik Tow Hook
Schweizer Tow Hook
Once rope is attached…
Visual Signals
 Glider Pilot
Thumbs up
 Ready for take off - Rudder waggle
 Wing Runner
 Open and close Tow Hitch
 Take up slack
 Slack has been taken out/Hold position
 Tow Pilot
 Release now
 Check your configuration

Signal to glider
Signal Towplane to take
up slack
Signal
Towplane to
take
up slack
Signal
Towplane
to stop
taking
up slack
Glider pilot signals they are
ready with a thumbs up
Wing runner lifts the wing
Glider pilot signals to tow place
that he is ready
Wing runner also signals to
Towplane that glider is ready
Towplane confirms that glider is
ready for takeoff
Towplane confirms that glider is
ready for takeoff
Wing runner
Emergency Stop
Taking off on Tow
 Who takes off first?
 Emergency plan
 Risks include:
 Configuration
 Not preflighted
 Rope Break
Who takes off first?
Flying on Tow
 Flying in Formation
 Turns on Tow – Arc of Turn and Aim point during turns
 Does the planes wake cause issues for the glider?
 Introducing rope slack
 How to take out slack rope.
 Steps prior to release
 Which way does the tow plane and glider turn
Flying on Tow
Flying on Tow
High Tow
Low Tow
Turns on Tow
Arc of Turn
and
Aim point
during turns
Blanik Interior
Tow Release Handle
Pulling Tow Rope Release
Towplane makes a
90 degree turn to the left
Glider makes a
90 degree turn to the right
Glider Traffic Pattern
What can I learn?
 Are there go arounds?
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You will learn the discipline of making a dead-stick landing
everytime.
 Now that I can make the runway are there PTS standards
on where I should stop?
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Yes 200 feet for Private and 100 foot for Commercial.
 Practicing downwind landing.
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When you can make the glider port but not with
enough altitude for normal pattern.
Glider Traffic Pattern
 Altitude at IP for 45 degree entry leg – 1,000
 What is FUSTALL
 What if I am high –
 What if I am low in downwind?
 How do I control energy in the pattern without a
throttle?
 Spoilers and Airbrakes vs. slips
Blanik Interior
Blanik Rudder Pedals
Blanik Trim Tab Control
Blanik Trim Tabs
Blanik Spoiler Control
Blanik Spoiler Control
Blanik Brake Handle
Blanik Landing Gear Handle
Emergencies
 Ropebreak or towplane issue during initial rollout.
 Ropebreak after take off?
 Towplane issue
 What if you can’t release the tow rope?
 What if you can’t make it back?
Advanced landings
 Short Field
 Without altimuter
What if you can’t make it back?
Find a spot to Land Out
Just Landed
Wait for
support crew
What is used to control energy
in a typical training glider?
 Wheel Brakes
 Front Skid
 Yaw String
 Drag
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Less drag
Increased drag
Yaw String
(points to the
pedal to step on)
Inclinometer
(step on the ball)
Glider
Yaw String
Glider Aerodynmacs
 What is different about flying a glider?
 Longer wings causes more ground effect on take off
and landing
 Induced drag is greater because of the longer wings in
a glider
 Over banking more lift on outside wing which is
stronger because it is longer
Glider Polars and Speed to Fly
 Best Glider is also called best L/D
 What is a glider Polar
 Minimum Sink
 Speed to fly in a headwind
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What is the rule of thumb if you do not have a polar
Glider Polar
Glider
Variometer
Slow Flight, Stalls and
Maneuvers
 Proximity to Airport during training
 Stalls are like Power off stall in an airplane
 How to recover from a stall in a glider
 Are spins required for a Private or Commercial Glider
add-on?
 Steep turns 45 degree bank, unlike power maintaining
altitude is not required.
Weather for Soaring
 Bumpy Air - Updrafts from surface heat (Thermals)
 Downdrafts
 Cumulus clouds
 Blue sky soaring – soaring birds, dust devils, rising dust,
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smoke
If I hit sink is their lift near by?
How to work the lift in a thermal
Which direction to turn in a thermal?
How can I tell if I am centered in a thermal
How high are thermals in northern Illinois?
Thermals
(a.k.a. that bumpy air…)
Radio Communication and Right
of Way
 Is a radio required?
 Do local glider operations use radios?
 Do gliders have the right of way?
Yes, but don’t wear out our welcome at other airports
 Do planes with gliders on tow have the right of way?
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Dehydration and Heatstroke
 “I can do it attitude” (Macho)
 Have the longest flight for the day.
 Make the distance to earn a badge.
 Stop drinking water so I won’t need to use the
washroom.
 Stop drinking water because I don’t have a system in
place relieve myself on a long flight.
Hypoxia (Lack of Oxygen)
 20,000 feet MSL Time of Useful Consciousness 30 min.
 22,000 feet MSL Time of Useful Consciousness 5-10 min.
 25,000 feet MSL Time of Useful Consciousness 3-5 min.
 Soaring Diamond Altitude gain 16,404 feet (5,000
meters).
 From a Soar Minden blog - It took only 58 minutes to go
from take-off to 27,331 feet (8,330 m) to landing on an
overcast, rainy day. Release occurred at 7,510 feet, for an
altitude gain of 19,820 feet (6,041 m).
References for the next step…
 FAA Glider Flying Handbook
 FAA PTS – Glider
 FAA FAR/AIM
 Sporty’s DVD - “So you want to fly gliders” (formally
called “Transition to Gliders”)
Links for the next step…
 http://www.ssa.org/ – Soaring Society of America
 www.chicagolandglidercouncil.com
ChicagoLand Glider Council
www.chicagolandglidercouncil.com