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August 11, 2007
Subject: some interesting take offs and landings
Soaring conditions great today after the fog burned off. We are seeing some takeoffs where the glider pilot is pulling the glider into the air while on tow as you might pull a kite into the air, sometimes resulting in the tailwheel touching during lift off. The correct technique is to be level and stable at about 40 miles/hour and then ease the glider airborne with slight aft pressure on the stick. The glider should lift off level and not rise above 3-5 feet until the towplane lifts off.
Landings, especially in the 1-26 have been too nose high with pilots applying too much aft stick in a airplane style "flare" maneuver at too high an altitude. This too sometimes results in a tailwheel first touchdown. We use the phrase "level to land" rather than flare. The nose should never come above level in these gliders from Elmira. If you get too slow at 8-10 feet an abrupt arrival follows. Better seen from the grass than experienced in the cockpit. Also saw good corrective actions to mistakes made in the pattern and this means learning is occurring. See you at the airport. Steve.
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