Eventually, it is assumed that these items acquire the status of Surely Everybody Knows That, and the original reason for the clarification is forgotten.

Safety Bulletin, October 2006

There has been a least one incident recently where members reluctance to speak up about something they were not happy with may have failed to prevent what happened.

I have said this before, in person, on the website and in The Wire but make no apology for repeating myself, particularly to our newer and/or younger members. Safety is EVERYONE's responsibility. Put another way we watch each others backs, and our own.

If any of you see something that looks/feels wrong please tell the duty instructor, duty marshal, other instructors, myself or indeed any experienced member. When a glider about to launch is involved, call STOP, STOP, STOP as loud as you can.get that launch stopped. Please be assured that NO-ONE will be annoyed or criticise you if it turns out to be a false alarm, because you may save someones life.

I am around at least one Saturday in a month and most Sundays so please come and talk to me if you have any issues or concerns. I will put them to the appropriate people for resolution.

Lastly can I please remind all glider retrieve drivers that if another glider is on line you must pull your glider behind at ninety degrees to the launch line, stop, release and turn the glider into line by hand. I still see members trying to pull the glider round using the tractor. This is dangerous both for damage to gliders and people as the glider will accelerate unpredictably when the tow rope is at an acute angle. I have seen this happen several times, luckily with no damage to aircraft or members.

Please continue to have fun flying but think safety and look after each other.

Stephen Farmer Club Safety Officer

BGA Guidance, Spring 2006

Visitors with Cameras

It is the Club's policy not to allow visitors to fly with any loose articles, in particular cameras and mobile phones. This has been prompted by an accident at Booker, where the controls were blocked by a dropped camera. Booker are being sued as a result of this.

The BGA may formulate a policy on the subject, but this is unlikely before the conclusion of the court case. If and when they do, we'll follow the official line.

On the whole, this is regarded as at worst a bit of a shame. Quite a few visitors ask if they can take a camera with them, but most of them actually forget to take any photographs. We don't see it as a real disincentive.

Safety Bulletin, November 2005

The following are the issues raised by members - not by the committee, the CFI or the Safety Officer - and are procedures that should be second nature to all but the newest recruits.

1. When towing a glider back to the launch point with another glider already on line, the retrieve vehicle should bring the glider behind and at ninety degrees to that aircraft. With the towrope released the glider should be turned by hand into line. No attempt should be made to tow the retrieved glider into line as things happen fast when towropes are at an angle resulting in possible damage to aircraft or people. If no other glider is on line on that side of the launch point then the glider may be towed into position.

2. After cables have been retrieved and left at the launch point only the first cable to be used should be moved over to the glider nose area in readiness for attachment. Leave the second cable well clear of the other on-line glider and any people around its nose.

3. With a significant crosswind component the downwind tip should be held during launch instead of the usual upwind tip. This reduces the likelihood of the glider weather cocking into wind during the initial seconds of the launch.

From the Past

1. Signalling the Launch

   By definition, the person at the launchpoint who is in charge of a launch is the person who attaches the cable to the glider, and therefore the person in charge of the signalling bat.

   Nobody else should signal the launch unless the responsibility is explicitly handed over. Your Bat or something similar is enough.

   The obvious reason is safety. The following actual incidents illustrate the potential risks.

   • Somebody picked up the bat and started to signal while the person attaching the cable was crouched down out of sight behind the cockpit.

   • Somebody attached the cable to the aircraft and, being pre-solo, walked away from the aircraft and went to do something else, leaving nobody in charge of the launch.

   • Somebody picked up a bat and started to signal, at the same time as the real signaller did the same thing.

   In all the above cases, we know who that "somebody" is, but nothing would be gained by naming names.

2. Ballast Weights

   All the ballast weights have a value in pounds. This value isn't the actual weight of the ballast, it's the value in terms of the cockpit placard. A 140lb pilot with a 15lb ballast weight is equivalent to a 155lb pilot.

   So beware: a 15lb weight isn't "worth 20lb because it's so far forward", it's worth 15lb and it actually weighs about 13lb.

3. Hangar Flights

   There is such a thing as a free hangar flight when we are flying from the far end of the field, but the decision about whether it is free is NOT up to the Pilot or the Log-Keeper.

   The only person who can decide that a hangar flight is free is the Duty Instructor. This will only be done when it is essential to get the aircraft in the hangar as quickly as possible. This in turn only allows a low launch and an abbreviated circuit.

4. Members' Guests

   The reduced Visitor's rate for Members' Guests only applies to the guests of Full Flying members. This trivially obvious fact is noted because some 28-day members have been trying it on.

5. Associate Members Associate Members can fly dual occasionally. The limit is one day per month and six days per year.

6. Towing to the Launch Line

   If you're towing an aircraft back to a launch line, the tractor should cross the line at right angles and stop when the aircraft is on the line. The final manoeuvring should be by hand. Don't try to turn the aircraft and pull it into position using the tractor: things happen very fast when the rope is at an angle, and that's how tailplanes get broken.

   The only case when it is OK to tow an aircraft into position is when there is no other aircraft on the same line, because then it's behind the tractor all the way.

7. Wing Running

   With a significant crosswind component the downwind tip should be held during launch instead of the usual upwind tip. This reduces the likelihood of the glider weather cocking into wind during the initial seconds of the launch.