HGFA Skysailor Magazine

SKY SAILOR 21 March | April 2018 the wing, so this third P is all about wing loading and roll control. As technologies develop, we’re seeing the aspect ratio of wings increase all the time. As the aspect ratio of wings increases, the importance of understanding and applying this third skill has become ever more important. An unloaded wing is more likely to collapse. Therefore, as we’re flying through turbulent air and we feel one side go slack, we’ve hopefully already reacted using the brakes (second P). However, at the same time it is equally important that we let our body fall to the unloaded side. Important Distinction: This is to avoid a collapse. If the wing collapses, we might need to load the other side (i.e. the flying side), in order to avoid the wing turning towards the collapse. By relaxing our body, we’ll keep the wing equally loaded across the whole span. Many pilots do this without thinking. Others seem to want to keep their body vertical to the horizon. We could compensate by applying even more brake to the loose side, but the correct response is to let yourself – your body – go with the wing. Remember the ultimate goal is to keep the wing loaded equally across the span. Go with the wing! More experienced pilots might decide, in gentle turbulence at least, to do almost the opposite. Their goal is to control the roll. By keeping the wing stable on the roll axis, it will be much more efficient as it glides through the air. I tend to focus on this on long glides when I’m looking for maximum performance, but when it gets too turbulent, I let myself ‘go with the wing’ to keep the wing loaded and avoid a collapse. Conclusion If you put the three Ps into practice when flying, you’ll be displaying excellent wing control and limit your chances of suffering a collapse. These skills might become intuitive when gliding, but make sure you’re also putting the three Ps into practice as you thermal, controlling your pitch, reacting to the pressure and keeping both halves of the wing loaded throughout the turn. This will not only help keep you safer, but also lead to more efficient thermalling. Putting all three Ps into practice when thermalling might not come naturally at first, but keep them in mind next time you go flying and you’ll start to feel more and more in control. As always, the most important skill comes before we even launch: More important than any of this is your decision of whether to fly. If it looks too turbulent for you, deciding not to take-off is the bravest decision of all. All those years ago, on my very first XC flight in Annecy, the memorable highlight was the smooth glide across the lake. I found out later, that my guide didn’t know which wing I was flying. He hadn’t seen me and in fact, I was perhaps a little too low to make the lake crossing. (I try to know which wings my clients are flying when I’m guiding!) Despite my rather perilous crossing, I did just make the other side of the lake. Having crossed the lake (in Annecy you can normally arrive just a few metres off the ground and still climb in the valley breeze), I was able to climb again and even complete the task. I must have made that crossing a hundred times since. Nowadays I battle those thermals with much more confidence and always climb higher before crossing that lake. If you really want to to take your own flying to the next level, you’ll need to roll up your sleeves. Particularly, if you agree that developing wing control skills is essential to safe piloting, find a well run SIV programme and develop your skills properly. Reading this article is just the beginning. Crossing the Hume highway at the Wangarrata bypass Photo: John Chapman