The rules say that an aircraft towing or re-fueling has the right-of- way over all other powered aircraft. Please point out to critics of glider operations that every pilot is taught this rule before flying solo and that this rule is on the written test he or she must take before getting a license.

Kawa is leading the two seat 20 meter class at his second world championship in three weeks. Of course he won 15 meter at the first one. There is no doubt he’s the greatest....ever.

I'm trying to find a good lubricant for assembly, available in Europe. Any ideas? Currently using regular vaseline.

When I went to upgrade it automatically upgraded to 8.01. Now it appear to work fine so i had no concern. Today i had my first flight with it but after landing and shutting off the device just like I always have . When I got home there was NO flight file to transfer to OCL ! Now i did the upgrade...

After some back and forth discussion, it seems pylon-mounted wings could have a lot of potential for sailplanes. WRT aerodynamics, they make a laminar upper wing and much more extensive laminar flow on the fuselage possible. Structurally, notably yaw forces might be problematic (ground-loop), but...

My take on self-launchers launchers … is really pretty simple. A self launcher means you can launch whether there’s a tow plane or not. Period. For me, that would mean I could launch from Jean, land somewhere, make camp (I love ‘ramp camping’), and launch the next day and fly back (conditions,...

I am interested in learning if other soaring clubs have a Janus 2-seat glider in their fleet, which model they have, its suitability as a club ship and whether they would recommend one to a club that was looking for a 2-seat cross country trainer. If you have other personal experience in the Janus,...

I'm working on some numbers for SSA Growth and Development. I need a SWAG as to how many aero tows were made in the US in 2011. Anyone care to guess? I know there are about 210 tugs, some more active than others. If each made 20 tows a week, 52 weeks a year, that would be 218,000 tows but I...

At the IGC meeting in March, we will decide whether to require FLARM at World Gliding Championships. Additionally, we will vote on: The future WGC calendar The site of the 2014 WGC Ballast in the 13.5 meter class Handicaps in the 20 meter 2 seat class The Club class handicap list Use of GPS...

Here is a thought: Was in the back yard making thousands of soap bubbles (Mr. Bubbles) for the baby. Slight breeze. Clearly could tell the entire airflow pattern in the back yard....even a little ridge lift over the glider trailer! Wonder if you could add a soap bubble machine to a sailplane? ...

It is likely that the probability of an ACTUAL double release failure on tow is what ever positive number is closest to zero. Of course that doesn't mean that Mr.Murphy can't serve one of these up. I would be interested in hearing any accounts of actual, non-instructor induced double release...

Does anyone know what the requirements are to add a private pilot airplane rating if you already have a private pilot glider? I know the training requirements would be reduced for an airplane pilot transitioning to glider but I dont know how it works going the other way.... Does anyone have info...

I submitted my flight 12 hours ago and its still not showing up. There are only 2 flight for the whole US for yesterday, so I think its not just me. Limus

Several SSA OLC competitors in the recent Region 6 South contest at Caesar Creek OH appear to have entered their flights in their respective home regions (other than Region 6), even though no point on the flight tracks lies outside of Region 6. There are other instances where pilots have listed...

Once upon a time there was the K13. It was/is a good basic trainer that is safe and suitable for all basic training needs, but over the years it has become less suitable for teaching pilots to fly modern high performance sailplanes. It is also draughty and noisy (my voice usually gives up after a...

I just read in the October Soaring that the FAA will issue a NPRM in response to a petition from many organizations, including the SSA. The petition asks the repack cycle be changed from 120 days to 180 days, a worthwhile improvement, I think. To view the petition and the FAA's response, go...

I've seen a couple of references to someone not wanting us to use cell phones while gliding. I haven't seen the reason... what's the rationale?

Hi Gang Occasionally one finds a good read on a subject that many of us are interested in, namely soaring. Well the Government funded in the 50s the development of a new spy plane - a motorglider - named the U2. The specifications of this machine included operation up to 80,000 feet at 80% the...

http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?ev_id=20060906X01297&key=2 For you amateur FAR lawyers to chew on: "The glider was equipped with a panel mounted communication radio, global positioning system (GPS) unit, and a transponder; however, the pilot did not turn on the GPS and transponder. The...

Hi I have read many articles published by Dick Johnson on performance of various gliders, but I cannot find any information on the methodology he used. The closest I have come to is this from Wikipedia "Flight Test Evaluation series starting in 1976, which measured the performance of sailplanes...