SAFA Skysailor Magazine

28 SKY SAILOR May | June 2020 The Supervised Pilot You are fresh out of school, bursting with en- thusiasm and wanting to get right into it. But you must fly under direct supervision. Who does this apply to and what does it mean? Paraglider and hang glider pilots who have completed their ab initio training (i.e., hold a PG2 or HG-Supervised qualification) are subject to the requirements of supervision. These requirements are listed in the Operations Manual (V20200323), under Section 5.3.1.2 for hang glider pilots and Section 5.3.3.2 for paraglider pilots. Essentially, you must fly under the supervision of an instruc- tor, safety officer or duty pilot, at sites suitable for supervised pilots, fly a red streamer from your aircraft, and log your flights in a Supervised Pilot log book. These are the key requirements; you should familiarise yourself with all of the requirements listed as there are more. How long does this phase last for? This is different for both disciplines. For hang glider pilots you need to log 25 hours on at least 25 separate days before you are eligible to step up to HG-Intermediate. Paraglider pilots must make a minimum of 60 successful flights and a total of 15 flying hours, with flights from five different sites of which three are inland, and a minimum of three soaring flights and two hours of thermic flight. For sign-off to PG3, your logbook must be inspected by an instructor and you must do a check flight. This does not mean that you will be automatically signed off. You need to satisfy the person doing the sign-off that you are ready, both in terms of skill/knowledge and attitude. This stage of your development can be very frustrating. You definitely need a number of stars to align to progress – you need to be free when the weather indicates a site will be on and a supervising pilot will be available. There is no magic switch we can flick to make that happen. Again, our sport is one where patience is required, and it is at this stage where impatience can do great harm. It’s also important to recognise an important fact – you do not yet know how to fly. I think a lot of people come away from their training believing that they do. What has happened is that you have been given a basic amount of instruction – practical and theory – and certified as competent by your instructors to enable you to go out and LEARN how to fly. Using a motor vehicle analogy, you’re on your junior P-plates. We are all constantly learning about this aviation thing we do; anybody who tells you they know it all should be treated with a high degree of scepticism. Towards the end of your course, your instructors would have pointed you in the direction of your local club or State association and urged you to make contact. It is really important that you do. Clubs are the folk that manage sites and have the safety officers you will need to work with as you progress. They will take you under their wing and assist you in your progression. Within the clubs are the people who can be trusted to supervise you and provide sound advice. It is really difficult to gauge who to trust if you just turn up to a site unannounced. Your safety is paramount, and you need to have trust in the people advising you. So, the first thing I would normally suggest you do, before even contemplating heading to a launch is get in touch with a local club, go to a meeting or social event and meet the people. In this current environment, with Covid-19 closing down all of our gatherings, and in some cases (at the time of writing) our flying options, you will have to suffice with social media and remote communica- tion methods. Regardless, you’ll be made more than welcome. If you have doubts about someone supervising you, ask a safety officer in your club, or ask your instructor. Satisfy yourself first and make sure all your concerns are addressed. Always remember that your instructor is there for you. If you are thinking of buying gear, ask the folk in the club and back that up by asking your instructor what they think. There are some pretty unscrupulous people out there that will sell any- thing to anyone who doesn’t know better. You could be forking out a mint for a ragged-out dish towel or poorly maintained airframe, or gear that is way above your grade. Your first wing purchase is criti- cal – don’t jump at the first thing on offer without consulting those who know. Don’t jump too soon to trade-up either. A good guide is to get 50 hours On Supervised and Supervising Pilots Being a Supervised Pilot is possibly the most challenging phase of a pilot’s development. Similarly, supervising a Supervised Pilot carries a high degree of responsibility. Let’s dig into the issues and have a look from both perspectives. Note that for the moment we are talking about hang gliding and paragliding operations; the powered variants and weight-shift microlights qualifications do not have these requirements. Iain Clarke, Safety Management Officer Photo: Cookie