A rectangular flight path is a very useful, easy to use tool when landing - especially during a strange field or off field landing.

It allows inspection of the chosen landing area, obstructions, slope, animal holes, wind, etc.

A disciplined landing pattern is practiced time and time again while learning - then is used in case it is needed at a strange location.

Inspecting common off field landing GPS traces, it is very common to observe pilots demonstrating the "wandering around" method while they desperately search for elusive lift - finally committing to the actual landing with an abbreviated, undisciplined landing pattern.

At one time, we actually taught our students to perform landings without an altimeter reference. The altimeter was covered as they entered the landing pattern. We stopped doing this because of liability concerns.

The TLAR method as described in the Glider Flight Training Manual explains the downwind leg is flown "no closer than a 45 degree angle to the landing surface" it goes on to explain the importance to have enough spacing to accommodate a proper length of the all-important base leg. A 30 degree angle is suggested as being more appropriate to ensure a reasonable length base leg that can easily accommodate judgments of both flight path and dive brake applications.

The text book further explains if the downwind leg is flown correctly, the turn onto the base leg will normally occur after passing a 45 degree angle looking back to the intended touchdown point - well within the landing area.. One of the most common errors is to turn too early and be so high that full dive brakes are necessary.

Pilots need to understand it is not normal to need either full dive brakes, or no dive brakes on the final approach, and this is a way to recognize if the landing pattern was flown correctly.

We have operated Ridge Soaring Gliderport for 40 years, and during that time, we have seen (probably) thousands of gliders landing long on our 3,300 ft runway. They wanted to stop near the tiedown area where most pilot stop, but make the common errors seen at every gliderport everywhere and end up too high and too fast on the final approach.

Off field landing accidents almost always involve landing much too long.

We have had exactly two gliders land short of our runway in the 40 year period.

Without taking the time or resources to examine every glider landing accident, The statistics will show the statistics are similar to our observations..

There is more to this subject, and this format is not appropriate for such discussions.

Tom Knauff