ELEMENTARY PILOT COURSE.

 

Phase 1 – Ground Training

Exercise 1 – Introduction and administration: risk warning; site discipline and school rules; students health / medical conditions and an explanation of the Training Programme, Student Training Record book and appropriate clothing / footwear.

Exercise 2 – Daily site assessment briefings: site and any site hazards, airflow and airflow hazards, weather assessment.

Exercise 3 – Equipment introduction: parts and function of the wing, harness and helmet, how an aerofoil creates lift, daily inspections demonstrated, practiced and understood at a basic level.

Exercise 4 – Avoiding and minimising injury: safety techniques discussed, when and how to use them (with a demonstration from the Instructor). Then practiced to a good degree of competence with the student.

Phase 2

Exercise 5 - Briefings: pre-flight checks, taking off and landing into wind, airspeed control and the landing flare.

Exercise 6 - Preparation: putting on the helmet and harness, pre-flight checks.

Exercise 7 - Running with the wing: learning to flare / stall the wing on landing and post-flight control.

Exercise 8 – Directional control: making turns whilst running with the wing on the ground.

Phase 3 – Getting Airborne

Exercise 9 – Getting Airborne: the student will practice taking off, making small flights (typically no more than 5 metres ground clearance with tethers), and controlled landings.

Phase 4 – In Flight Exercises

Exercise 10 – Eventualities briefing: The need to prepare, before takeoff, plans to deal with the unexpected.

Exercise 11 – Commands and Communications briefing: This includes briefing on signals, bats, radios, verbal, as appropriate.

Exercise 12 – Responsibilities Briefing: From this point the student becomes a pilot in command  and will be in a position to determine the course of the flight. The student must clearly understand their level of responsibility for the safe conduct of any flight.

Exercise 13 – Maintaining course and airspeed; including flights to maximum 15 metres/50 feet.

Exercise 14 – Introducing turns of up to 90 degrees.

Exercise 15 – Completing simple flight plans; involving further ground clearance / height, unassisted launches, controlled landings (within a designated area).

Phase 5 – In Flight Exercises

Exercise 16 – 18 – Lessons and personal study, to gain knowledge to the required level on Meteorology, Principles of Flight, Air-law and Rules of the Air.

 

 

 

CLUB PILOT

Phase 6 - Pre-soaring

21 Theory.
22 180 degree turns to a consistent level.
23 Planned approaches - Minimum 4 successful planned flights making controlled landing within 10m of a target.

Phase 7 - Soaring

24 Soaring flight - Minimum 4 successful flights using ridge lift to maintain gain height.
25 Top landings - Minimum 4 successful flights.
26 Flying with others.

Phase 8 - Improving skills.

27 Exploring the sped range.
28 Accelerator system.
29 Forward launching.
30 Reverse launching.
31 Weight shift and pitch-roll in turns.
32 Cross wind and slope landings.

Phase 9 - Instability and emergencies

33 Theory.
34 Active flying.
35 Rapid descent techniques.
36 Dealing with an asymmetric tuck.

Phase 10 Theory lessons and examination

37 Meteorology.
38 Principles of flight.
39 Rules of the air and air law.
40 General airmanship knowledge.
41 Club pilot theory examination.

 

You are now free to take to the sky's and fly unsupervised. You may wish to stay within the school flying in a familiar and friendly environment on our unique private sites while receiving extra guidance from us. .