| The perfect landing goes something like this - a wide, | | | | you're often crossing large areas of houses with |
| grassy field with a gentle breeze tugging the | | | | limited landing areas. We had just sunk out on a task |
| windsock towards you, you flare at the perfect | | | | on a tandem glider, and were forced to fly down a |
| height, and land on the spot, smiling at the cute BBC | | | | little street, turn left at the end, and put down in a |
| reporter. The advanced pilots make it look so easy, | | | | small, small field. Everything looked good until the last |
| touching down gently, exactly where they want to, | | | | second, when I spotted telephone lines circling the |
| not a blade of grass bent. But what happens when it | | | | field. There was hardly any wind, and even with big |
| all goes horribly wrong, and you are in the pilot's | | | | ears tucked we were going to dangle from the |
| seat? When the field isn't there, you're being | | | | 'phone line. So I butterfly-ed the glider in. Pull the |
| hammered by turbulence behind the trees, and your | | | | brakes slowly to 3/4 on both sides, then release |
| glider has just decided to quit flying? How can you | | | | quickly, then re-apply the brakes to 3/4 continuing in |
| land safely? | | | | a rhythmical, flapping motion. The 'flaps' are about |
| 1. Checking out the lay of the land | | | | two seconds apart. You can cause an almost vertical |
| It's a pretty basic idea, I'll admit, but often it is | | | | descent. The danger is that if you hold the deep |
| neglected in the excitement of finally finding a flyable | | | | brake for too long, you can stall the wing. You are |
| hill. Always visit your landing field before flying. By | | | | close to the ground. So here's a tip you can use for |
| placing a windsock in the field you can reduce the | | | | every crash landing - assume the Parachute Landing |
| elements which can go wrong - at least you will | | | | Fall position before you even get close to the ground. |
| know the wind direction. On warm, thermic days the | | | | Legs together and pointing down, knees slightly bent, |
| wind is especially variable. I have ploughed a good | | | | legs turned 45degrees off the direction of motion. |
| section of field with my nose when the wind | | | | Landing gear is down - one less thing to worry about. |
| switched in thermic conditions during my final | | | | 6. Timber! |
| approach. A windsock would have spared the field | | | | When you realise that you are going to land in a tree |
| some injury. | | | | do not panic. Remember to close your legs! Aim for |
| 2. Always have a little bit on the side | | | | the densest part of the tree. Flare (pull brakes) about |
| If the Sink Monster (that big column of descending | | | | 2 metres before the tree and simply stand into it. Be |
| air) decides to send you to the earth in a hurry, do | | | | careful not to flare too early, as you will fall through |
| you have a Plan B? No matter how desperate, an | | | | the weak outer branches - you want to get to the |
| emergency landing area (within very easy glide) | | | | centre part of the tree, where your chances of |
| tucked into your flight plan is a must. Evaluate your | | | | injury will then be greatly reduced. Secure yourself to |
| approach to both fields (primary and emergency) | | | | the tree as soon as possible, remembering to get the |
| while you are flying, so when the turbulence hits you | | | | glider under control, as it can re-inflate in the wind |
| you have got one less thing to think about. | | | | and pull you from the branches. If you're flying |
| 3. Small field, big ears | | | | around lots of trees, essential equipment is a long, |
| To land in the little grass field in the middle of the | | | | thin piece of cord (to haul up a rescue rope) and a |
| forest of tall pine trees, a variation of the normal | | | | wire-saw to cut your glider out of obstinate |
| landing setup may be needed. The challenge is that | | | | branches. |
| your normal glide angle is too shallow - even | | | | 7. Water water everywhere |
| approaching the field from the downwind edge with | | | | Firstly - stay away from water. It is safer to land on |
| your feet clipping the tree-tops, you are going to | | | | rocks rather than in shallow surf. However, if a water |
| overshoot the field and fly into the forest on the far | | | | landing is inevitable, undo your legstraps (if you have |
| side. Tucking your wingtips in (big-ears) will steepen | | | | the time). Land as normal with a big flare to ensure |
| your glide angle. Tuck them before your final | | | | the glider and all its lines do not envelope you. Once |
| approach, maybe one hundred feet above the trees. | | | | the legstraps of your harness are undone, you can |
| Use weight shift to steer the glider into your normal | | | | slip out of the bottom of your harness and swim |
| landing pattern, S-ing off your height on the | | | | down and clear of the lines and glider. If there is a |
| downwind side of the field, and coming in on a final | | | | high risk of water landings at the site you choose to |
| glide. You may want to do a final S-turn below the | | | | fly, always carry a hook-knife on your harness so |
| height of the trees if they are very high, to lose as | | | | that you can cut yourself out of a tangle in the |
| much height as possible. | | | | water. |
| 4. Shear flying terror | | | | 8. Nasty surprises |
| Because the field is surrounded by trees, there will be | | | | The danger with weird obstacles is often that pilots |
| a shear layer (interface between two wind-systems) | | | | change their landing technique and land with a tight |
| which your glider will pass through. Turbulence may | | | | turn near the ground, or with a big pendulum as they |
| try to collapse your wing, although with big-ears in, | | | | brake to avoid something which looks unfriendly. If |
| you are unlikely to have further collapses due to the | | | | you have to land in a bad area like a junkyard, treat |
| high internal cell-pressure. What you do have to be | | | | it just as you would a normal landing. Pick a clear |
| careful of is a stall, because of the high angle of | | | | spot, or the object which you are going to hit, set up |
| attack. Be ready to tramp on your speedbar if you | | | | with a normal approach, come in cleanly and fast on |
| can't feel any wind in your face (you've stopped | | | | your final glide, flare properly at the normal height. |
| moving forwards). It is important not to pull the | | | | Even in zero wind conditions, a proper landing flare will |
| brakes too much as you pass through the shear into | | | | bring your wing almost to a stop. It is easier to land |
| the wind shadow below. The glider has to increase its | | | | on the obstacles with a slow, straight momentum |
| airspeed to maintain aerodynamic function. Allow the | | | | than with a body that is swinging to avoid every |
| glider to dive if you have enough height to do so. | | | | object along the way. |
| Once the glider has levelled out, you will glide a long | | | | 9. Target fixation |
| way because you are sheltered from the wind. This | | | | The tragic tale of a competent pilot in the USA who |
| often means gliding off the field and into the trees, | | | | crashed into a 5foot wide water channel and |
| so keep the big-ears on and only flare them out on | | | | drowned says it all. Unless you consciously choose a |
| the final landing flare, one metre above the ground. It | | | | safer landing spot, you will hit the dangerous |
| is better to have a hard landing (softened with a | | | | obstacle, because you are watching it. Once you |
| Parachute Landing Fall), than to overshoot the field | | | | identify a dangerous obstacle, identify a safe place, |
| and fly into the trunk of the trees. Besides, they'll call | | | | and watch the safe place. You've seen the obstacle, |
| you 'Woody Woodpecker' forever. Unbearable. | | | | it's not going anywhere. |
| 5. Butterflies land softly | | | | The only exception is when the dangerous obstacle is |
| The first time I really needed the Butterfly Landing | | | | a Spanish fighting bull, in which case I recommend |
| Technique was in Italy. Flying around Lake Como, | | | | learning how to run. |