On Oct 28, 10:46*pm, Bruce wrote:
We teach that you should not have to use full brake on approach - it
is an indication that your energy is too high. Now you have used all
of the available control and limited options.

Every glider I ever flew allowed a large increase in sink rate
compared to full spoiler/airbrakes if a slip was also used, so I don't
agree that all available control is used when the airbrakes are full
open. Several times I have used full airbrakes and full rudder slip
to get my energy down to a partial brake approach. I practice that at
the start of every season. Using full airbrake for all the approach
does not indicate energy is too high as long as the glider touches
down at the intended point at minimum energy. Being able to fly a
full brake, full slip approach may save your glider on the day you are
faced with a small field with high obstacles on the approach.

So, while it's nice to fly a half airbrake approach to a touchdown at
the intended point, it's also good to have the skill to fly very steep
approaches and full airbrake is not usually the limit.

Andy