Free Flight Vol Libre
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Apr/May 2/05 free flight • vol libre Priorities Phil Stade President FTER 60 YEARS, the Soaring Association of Canada is ready to take a step A into new territory. In true Canadian style we’re moving from political persuasion to firm, practical encouragement. Historically, SAC was born with the hope of maintaining our feedom to fly by preventing excessive government regulation from being applied to our sport. That hope has proven to be justified. Transport Canada has not been involved in our sport on a day to day basis and we remain one of the least regulated branches of aviation. Attention has recently been shifting from government regulators to insurers. Accidents and higher priced aircraft have combined to make our annual insurance bill a threat to the viability of some clubs. It has become clear to all glider pilots that the toll in lives and aircraft has to be reduced or regula- tors will be forced to step in and insurers may withdraw from the market. The statistics show us that very few accidents in Canadian soaring are of the “out-of-the-blue“ category. Most of the accidents could have been prevented through better operational supervision, individual pilot preparation, and better evaluation by club leaders of the risks presented by the environment, lack of member currency, pilot skills, and so on. The Flight Training and Safety committee is proposing to the Board of Direc- tors a plan to implement a management system for safety improvement that includes risk assessments, etc. and measurable goals that can be tracked in the Association as a whole. At the same time, we propose clubs modify their safety programs to include the setting of club goals and improved reporting, and that these programs be driven from the top down; that is, club directors take direct responsibility for implementing and following up on their goals for safety improvements. The plan (including detailed guidelines) is being completed and is to be presented to the Board for approval and implement- ation in the near future. We believe this will directly address the safety con- cerns expressed by several individuals and clubs. Simultaneously we will issue requirements on clubs regarding safety management programs, training, and maintenance that echo the CARs, to provide better standards overall. The Board fully supports the plan to date and we look forward to shortly advising you of the full details. Freedom, in all its forms, has a price. For soaring pilots that price is self- discipline and diligence. Our continuing efforts at creating a culture of safety will result in fewer accidents and lost lives. This will have a direct and positive effect on us all. The bonus will be a safe and viable soaring environment for tomorrow’s pilots. 2 free flight 2/05 free flight • vol libre The journal of the Soaring Association of Canada 2/05 – Apr/May Le journal de l’Association Canadienne de Vol à Voile ISSN 0827 – 2557 plan, before you’re forced to 4 every club needs to know where it’s going ✦ Tony Burton just another day in paradise 6 a summer day in Invermere ✦ Ernst Schneider le Mistral, quand tu nous tiens 8 soaring in France ✦ André Lepage potato salad 10 thoughts on an outlanding ✦ David Donaldson how far can you spit? 11 judging angles in the circuit ✦ Tom Knauff how to practise cross-country 14 exercises close to the club ✦ Helmut Reichmann safety first – sécurité d’abord 15 a SAC club/pilot “Safety First“ campaign ✦ Ian Oldaker Sailplanes, 1965 – 2000 22 book review ✦ Terry Beasley DEPARTMENTS 5 Comment, etc. — on the claim that gliding is actually more dangerous than driving 19 SAC News — Mt. Washington a national soaring monument, SAC 2004 reports: insurance, accidents, flight training & safety, trophies and awards. Cover David Donaldson lands at Great Lakes in a Std. Jantar owned by Dean Toplis and Kerry Kirby. See David’s story in this issue, the main theme of which centres around the generosity of the gliding community. photo: Alan Mills 2/05 free flight 3 Plan, before you’re forced to Tony Burton A large part of this text has been taken from an article in SAILPLANE & GLIDING magazine written by Diana King, chairman of the BGA’s Development committee. The SOARING ASSOCIATION of CANADA CLUB MAY DISCOVER that it has an exciting opportunity to acquire some new prop- is a non-profit organization of enthusiasts who seek to foster and promote all phases of glid- A erty, such as extra land, or perhaps a glider. It may, somewhat belatedly, realize it ing and soaring on a national and interna- needs to look for a new site or raise the funds to buy their existing land. Let me present a tional basis. The association is a member of the Aero Club of Canada (ACC), the Canadian scenario: Cu Nim’s airfield at Black Diamond was once a long way from external pressures national aero club representing Canada in — now there’s an ATC altitude cap over the field which cramps training and cross-country the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the world sport aviation governing body flying, nearby farmland is filling with houses on acreages and towplane noise complaints com-posed of national aero clubs. The ACC have begun. The airfield property is becoming more valuable, taxes may rise, and the delegates to SAC the supervision of FAI re- property is steadily becoming more attractive for use as something other than an air- lated soaring activities such as competition sanctions, processing FAI badge and record field. Even if local government and flying restrictions didn’t press the club to find another claims, and the selection of Canadian team location, a land developer could present it with “an offer it couldn’t refuse”. So when is the pilots for world soaring championships. time to have a plan — now, or when a move is only a season away? free flight is the official journal of SAC. Material published in free flight is contributed The club’s question can become, “we need to spend a lot of money on this new opportu- by individuals or clubs for the enjoyment of nity/problem — where is it going to come from and can we apply for a grant?” My ques- Canadian soaring enthusiasts. The accuracy of the material is the responsibility of the tion to them is whether they have a business plan and/or Development Plan in place. contributor. No payment is offered for sub- Why do you need a business plan? For a start, any club needs to know where it wants to mitted material. All individuals and clubs are go before it starts spending money for the trip. Your poor treasurer is usually busy with invited to contribute articles, reports, club activities, and photos of soaring interest. An the here and now — do you have a Fleet/Land committee to deal with the future? If you e-mail in any common word processing for- are looking for a significant grant from a funding agency, they will require some form of mat is welcome (preferably as a text file). All material is subject to editing to the space business plan as part of any application. Funding is also usually limited to a percentage requirements and the quality standards of of the project costs so it is important for the club to be able to show how it will raise the the magazine. difference, either through grants or loans, and how loans will be serviced and repaid. Images may be sent as photo prints or as hi- resolution greyscale/colour .jpg or .tif files. The time to write these plans is when you have time to talk to your members properly, Prints returned on request. think through all the issues and generally take the time to make a really good job of the free flight also serves as a forum for opinion task. That way, you can have more confidence you have really identified the club’s aims on soaring matters and will publish letters to the editor as space permits. Publication of and are more likely to have the support of all the members to achieve the aims. Trying to ideas and opinion in free flight does not im- write a plan in a hurry, simply in order to jump through a hoop of someone else’s making, ply endorsement by SAC. Correspondents who wish formal action on their concerns is much more difficult and stressful and doesn’t always lead to a good result. Another rea- should contact their Zone Director. son for a written plan is to make unexpected decisions easier. If you have strategic plans Material from free flight may be reprinted about the direction you want the club to go over the next few years, it is much easier to without prior permission, but SAC requests see how a decision fits into that background. Some people resist the idea of treating a that both the magazine and the author be voluntary club as a business. However, while clubs are voluntary organizations, we must given acknowledgement. still be businesslike in the way we run ourselves. Dealing in a professional way with the For change of address and subscriptions for club’s affairs sometimes makes for less work in the long run. I say ‘professional’ to indicate non-SAC members ($26/$47/$65 for 1/2/3 years, US$26/$47/$65 in USA & overseas), that, even as volunteers, we should aim not to be amateurish. contact the SAC office at the address below. So, how to go about making a plan? This is your chance to use some imagination and an opportunity to make a real difference to your club’s future.