Bruce wrote:

Maybe other people learn better from being told, but my experience is
that actually doing it is far more valuable. Now - If I just had someone
with similar performance who flew XC from my club, I might learn faster.

Try to fly with a good XC pilot in a two-seater - even a short two hour
XC flight with a better pilot can be very helpful. Being in the same
glider, instead of separate gliders, can make the learning quicker.

Arrange a lead-and-follow with a better pilot, and offer to pay his tow
(or at least the beer after the flight!). If you get another pilot like
yourself (about the same experience and similar glider) to join you, you
can split the tow fee.

The experienced pilot can have a better glider, and might need it, if
he's trying help two pilots! If he does have a better glider, it's not
necessarily a problem: he can degrade the performance to match yours;
for example, by leaving the flaps in the thermalling position, or the
gear down.

Or deal with the situation by him following you: he can still analyze
your choices of direction, clouds, etc, and thermalling style, but
simply open the spoilers occasionally when he gets above you. This
method is actually easier for the experienced pilot, because he can keep
you in sight; the other way, the less experienced pilot tends to fall
behind (even if the gliders are the same), and lose contact.

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA