SAFA Skysailor Magazine

26 SKY SAILOR January | February 2021 would have heavily impacted the ground. The pilot was lucky to hit the ground just after the wing started flying, not too hard and into soft scrub. The pilot was not injured. This particular flying site on the Sunshine Coast is very sensitive and very close to residents’ houses and therefore not suitable for this type of flying. To carry out this manoeuvre, this low to the ground is particularly dangerous. If the wing had not started flying again when it did, this could have been a very serious accident, impacting on the pilot and the whole flying community. Sometimes students end up interacting with the vegetation. In #1106 a student was practising landing approaches at Rainbow Beach. There was a narrow lift band at the time, and the pilot was soaring comfortably, gaining altitude. A second pilot (not under instruction) then launched and moved over to join the student. The instructor called the student pilot to cross the sand blow to the southern ridge, which they did. While gaining altitude, one wing-tip clipped the canopy of a tree overhanging the ridge, resulting in the student landing in the tree canopy without injury and only minor wing damage. In #1196 at Teewah, the student pilot was on their first solo flight. Following the briefing, the pilot launched and turned left after launch but failed to release the brake and continued the left turn into nearby vegetation, sustaining some bruising. All pilots, particularly new pilots, are reminded to keep adequate separation between wing and all obstacles. When new to flight or when flying new equipment, it is easy to over-control the glider. Be prepared for gentle application of the controls. Report #1171 takes us to Mt Broughton (VIC) where a student was on their second high flight and their eighth flight for the day. The pilot was briefed with a flight plan and familiarisation of LZ waypoints. The student was on the base leg above the LZ under radio instruction, performing figure-8 turns. On the flight, the student was positioned on the base leg as per flight plan. After a couple of well-executed figure-8 turns on the base leg, the student had the right altitude above ground to perform one more final 180-degree turn to the left to get to the middle of the LZ. At that stage, the student failed to follow the flight plan or instructions to turn left into wind for the next base leg pass. Instead, the student turned right and downwind towards the tree line above the LZ, with no other option than to land in the tree. The student landed into the canopy of a large gum tree and managed to grab hold of some branches and ended up standing on a large branch. The glider ended up hanging from three large branches above the student. A lengthy tree extraction operation followed. No injuries or damage. The pilot was initially confused as they heard an instruc- tion over the radio intended for another pilot and turned towards the hill. They then realised their error but had no other option then make the tree landing, as described in theory. The CFI has since changed radio protocols, so each student is on a different channel. All pilots are advised to not turn towards the hill unless absolutely certain there is adequate clearance from obstacles and terrain, taking into AIRS Safety wrap-up – December 2020 Training at Gundowring, VIC