FYI, the following from Kevin Olerhead, GFA Chief Technical Officer -
Operations
Dear Club Secretary/ CFI/ Level 3 Instructor,
Please distribute the following Operational Safety Bulletin as widely as
possible.
Kevin Olerhead
Chief Technical Officer - Operations
10/03/2006
THE GLIDING FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA
Operational Safety Bulletin 1/06 ? Aircraft Familiarity
Background
A number of recent accidents have highlighted the likelihood that
inadvertent and/or incorrect control input at critical stages may have been
contributing factors in some accidents.
It is believed that on some occasions incorrect and/or inadvertent use of
controls is brought about by pilot unfamiliarity with aircraft type during
high workload flight situations and this Bulletin is issued to remind
pilots of the hazard and to assist them to avoid future occurrences.
Cockpit Layout and Control Movements
Although gliders have become more similar in these aspects over time
differences remain, some more subtle than others.
Undercarriage retraction/extension systems
Perhaps the most common system is a lever on the right side cockpit wall
that is moved forward to lower the wheel and back to raise it (or do I
think this because I own a Standard Cirrus?). However, some gliders have
right side mounted levers that are forward for wheel up and back for wheel
down and others that are left side mounted and forward for up and back for
down.
If you find the above confusing just reading it, is it any wonder that many
pilots have landed wheel-up after cycling the undercarriage a number of
times during circuit when flying a glider that has a different system to
the glider they normally fly?
Wheel Brakes
Perhaps the most common system is a "Bike" brake lever mounted on the
control column (or do I think so because that is where it is on my
Cirrus?). However, there are a number of other arrangements including wheel
brake activation via the end travel of the air brake lever, heel brakes,
floor mounted levers and etc.
An overrun situation in a tight paddock following an outlanding is not the
time to try to remember where the wheel brake is! Nor is it of any use to
be squeezing the control column with all your might trying stop when the
wheel brake lever is located somewhere else.
Airbrakes and Flaps
Airbrake and flap levers are generally located on the left side cockpit
wall. There have been many instances of pilots misidentifying these in high
workload situations, such as when landing. The most common fault being that
pilots think they are deploying airbrakes when in fact they are using the
flap lever. Although not entirely a problem to do with familiarity with
glider type it can happen much more readily if the pilot is not familiar
with the glider he/she is flying.
However, there are other very important considerations that need to be
taken into account with the use of flaps in particular. The application and
use of flaps varies considerably from glider to glider, the correct use of
flaps during the landing phase can make the difference between a safe and
an unsafe landing.
Precautions that can be taken
Unfamiliarity with type is most likely to cause serious problems during
high workload situations, most commonly during the landing phase. Confusion
and uncertainty can be deadly ingredients to add to a high workload!
Conversions to type
Conversions should always be thorough and comprehensive. Pilots being
converted to a new glider type must make sure that they know and fully
understand the function and location of all the controls and systems.
Becoming familiar with the glider
Time is of greatest importance and pilots should be aware that "new"
gliders take time to get to know. Sometimes differences can be minor and
familiarity comes easily, such as when converting into another Standard
Class glider of a similar era and performance to the one a pilot is used to
flying. However, conversion into an Open Class glider for the first time
from Standard Class will require much longer for the pilot to become
familiar with all the necessary variations to his/her normal flying habits.
It must also be appreciated that flying a glider of lesser performance
and/or less complexity than the pilot is normally used to is not
necessarily an easier task. The same unfamiliarity factors can set the same
traps and having less performance available can put pilots into unexpected
and unfamiliar situations
Pilots are all individuals and only the pilot will know when a new glider
feels comfortably to them. Pilots should take as much care as possible to
avoid high workload situations until they feel that a safe level of
familiarity has been achieved.
There is a natural desire in us all to get our "new" glider out there and
see what it can do. Unfortunately, what they can sometimes do is bite us
because we are not yet fully ready for them.
Kevin Olerhead
Chief Technical Officer - Operations
10/03/2006
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The Gliding Federation of Australia Inc
invites you to visit the web site www.gfa.org.au
newcomers to gliding and soaring are invited to visit www.soaring.com.au
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