On 2006-05-08, Howard Nelson wrote:
Understand what you are saying but this was on departure at about 1000ft
AGL. Perhaps something could have been done differently but at the time we
were trying to balance rate of climb (which was negative) with stall speed.

Even so (of course this is hindsight - don't take this for being
critical, you only know what you know at the time!) under most
circumstances [0], speed up in sink. Especailly don't fly on the ragged edge
of stall speed - you're not only flying slowly, but slower than best
rate of climb speed and the added dangers of stall). As I was saying -
the speed to fly will of course depend on the L/D of your particular
aircraft.

Even when low to the ground (especially when low to the ground) speeding
up in sink is important. Even if it only nets you 10 feet - that can be
the difference between being in the treetops and merely collecting some
foliage in your landing gear.

Had I not sped up in sink in my glider this weekend when I was at around
1000' AGL, I'd have been landing in a field not at the airport!

[0] Obstructions may be a circumstance where you would NOT want to speed
up!

had been taught to me by my mountain flying instructor. That was "in the
summer in the mountains be on the ground between 1000 and 1600hrs".

Having flown in the mountains in the summer in an underpowered aircraft,
I can entirely agree. Doubly so if it's windy.

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