In article ,
Stefan wrote:
Mark James Boyd wrote:

I think the Bronze Badge training is quite sufficient before a first X-C.
And two flights of two hours is enough, I'm not sure what more
is gained by a 5 hour flight before ones first 50km attempt.

What's gained by 5 hours compared by 2 times 2 hours? Two things: First,
during 5 hours, the weather conditions will change. Everybody can stay
up between 13:00 and 15:00.
Sounds good. Send 'em on their X-C between 13:00 and 15:00.

5 hours is a little bit more difficult. And
more educating.

I completely agree. I think it's educational, but unneccessary
in our particular case. I also think there are some people
(myself included) who would generally rather fly less than 5
hours on every flight, but enjoy mild X-Cs (less than 300km).

Personally, if a five hour duration flight was required
before I could fly my first X-C (meaning out of glide
range from the gliderport), I would likely have chosen a different
club.

Of course, this depends on where you fly. Second, it's
the proof that you can stand it for 5 hours. Thermals get weaker in the
evening. Incidentally, this is the time when you get tired. Both
increase the chance of an outlanding... for which you should be
concentrated.

Depends on where you fly. Yep, I believe this. I can see
places where testing a student's endurance before letting them
fly X-C could be important. I remember a lot of situations where
I launched too early, or encountered an inversion, or was
in the wrong place struggling to stay aloft. But I'm not sure "5 hours"
is a magic number. I was personally very satisfied with a lot
of 1-3 hour flights before my first 50km X-C.

Although there is one very valid need for endurance: after my
first successful 50k (which took maybe 1.5 hours) I had
to circle in fading lift for over an hour waiting for the
retrieve tug so he could witness my landing as my O/O !

;P

Different strokes, I guess...

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Mark J. Boyd