KC

I am just beginning my soaring career with only 60 flights in 10
months. I would like to explain our clubs handling of approaches as
explained by our instructors and as practiced in everyday operations.

We attempt to fly all approaches at our club as PRECISION approaches.
Not SLOW! Every proper approach is handled this way and our landing
zone is a 250X50 meter marked area. Improper\unusual approaches are
also expected to end up in this zone, although not at the risk of
flight safety. The point is that (almost) every approach into our field
is handled this way. This, per instructors, makes field/outlanding an
adjunct of your normal operations i.e. lowers the options and
requirements for the outlanding. If you want to land long to put the
plane away or to end up near the launch point you make the approach to
land in the zone and apply less airbrakes. @20/1 from 20 meters you can
fly most of the way to the far end of the field. No slow flying until
the flare at 2-5 meters. As a matter of fact I have only
unintentionally missed stopping in this zone 2-3 times in my 60
flights.

Two weeks ago I had an unusual approach to the field, low at IP so very
much shortened downwind-base-final (all one turn and much too low over
the trees). Had no trouble landing in the "Zone" but had lots of
friendly queries about my approach. At no time during this approach was
I flying slow and the safety envelope is quite large (to tell the truth
I have a speed issue, I have a problem keeping my speed down on the
base to final turn but can now keep it within 10KMPH.)

Bob McDowell