Robert, there is a very active codor-based soaring online competition over here in the UK. You probably know this, I comment in order to note the effect of the programme on glider pilots that I have observed over here. It does improve their skills and knowledge! To find that a keen post-solo student, not a natural pilot by any means, had better skills and judgement after a winter layoff with no real flying was, of course, a surprise. For a technophobic Luddite like myself to acknowledge that weekly participation in an 'online' gliding comp was the reason took a while. But its true.
Having used the BGA simulator with several students (even though it was primarily designed for neophytes in expo's, etc.), I have found that a lot of airtime and money can be saved ironing out procedures and problems on the ground. On can even have a 'tutorial', with several people watching the lesson. The condor programme is to be used in future when we build our own simulator here at bggc. We already have the aircraft parts...thanks to a pilot who could probably been better off in a simulator that day!!
Lasham Gliding Club recently trained an (aerotow) glider pilot on a simulator...plus a VERY minimum number of real flights. This was written up in one of the Sailplane and Gliding magazines just this year.
If you find an appropriately technical volunteer for your project I may be able to put them in toutch with a glider pilot/condor user/computer lecturer over here...but I'd better ask her first!
Gavin Wrigley.
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