On Oct 30, 12:47*pm, Burt Compton - Marfa wrote:
Someone wrote: *"make my turn to base at 600' AGL, and my turn to

final at 400' AGL. "

(Oh my gosh. *Now I must comment. *Note to my students -- *ignore this
"fly to an altitude before turning base" concept.)

I gotta ask: *If you plan to turn base at 600' AGL and you've gone
thru lift on the downwind -- do you keep flying far downwind until you
descend to 600' AGL, far away from the airport?

HECK NO. *Fly the angles! *Follow Tom Knauff's advice. *Ignore the
Altimeter, but use the Variometer to check your vertical speed on
So I had to comment. *Honestly, I teach the glider landing pattern
alot different now at Marfa, in west Texas than I did back in Miami,
Florida a decade ago. *The Miami air mass was relatively passive, so
we flew big rectangular patterns with the old school "hold 1/2
airbrake and wait until something changes" method, somewhat "behind"
the glider. *But travel elsewhere to fly gliders and "interesting" and
sudden changes in the air mass near the ground will require more pilot
awareness, skills, flexibility in the pattern shape and faster
responses.
(CUT)
To the old-school CFIG's (like me), learn to embrace alternate methods
and consider teaching students to be flexible and creative in their
thinking. *I did, and it works.

Burt
Marfawww.flygliders.com

Burt, thanks for taking the time to write that lengthy and detailed
reply. I should clarify that I do not just fly down wind UNTIL I
reach 600 (!), but rather I watch the position of the aim point and
use air brakes as required to keep the angle "looking right" until it
is at my 45. At this point I have a quick glance to confirm I am
somewhere around 600 while I turn to base and from that point on I do
not typically look at the altimeter. I am primarily keeping an eye on
my glide angle and airspeed. Usually I'll try to get a quick glance
just to see if I am where I think I am. There was wind through most
of my training so I am used to altering my pattern to compensate for
tail wind or head wind.

Since I am flying in Florida, what you mentioned regarding altering
pattern in regards to sudden air mass changes is also good info.

So basically my issue is the first angle... knowing when I am between
800' and 1000' agl. Sounds like I just need to keep practicing.

Thanks
-tom