Paul M. Cordell wrote:

How Low to Spin??

I was proudly shown a IGC file this weekend. This file show the aero tow
thru a thermal and a release into sink. Our proud pilot was unable to
find the thermal and started a downwind leg for a landing. As he turned
base leg, he flew into a 2-5 kt thermal. Instead of completing the
pattern and landing, he turned and climbed in this thermal. The IGC file
showed that his altitude at the time of encountering lift was 300 ft. I
asked him 1 question as he displayed this flight on See You. How Low do
you want to spin?

His response scared me silly&&..My glider does not spin and there was no
wind.

He then continued to display the same flight where he bragged of
spending a considerable amount of time in the mountains within 500 feet
of the terrain. I am doubtful as to his ability to reach a landable area
during this portion of the flight.

This pilot is in his first year of private ownership, cross county
soaring and may have almost 200 hours of total time. He has embraced
soaring completely. I left the gliderport feeling that my suggestions as
to his safety practices were just hollow words. I know that he reads RAS
and would hope that the response to this post may give him some food for
thought.

While getting shot down west of Boulder the other day, I was
contemplating the "How low to circle?" equation. While always within
EASY glide of the airport, I was low over the foothills. It wasn't a
particularly "sinky" day, but down low the thermals were really just
narrow threads of lift coming off the rocks. I realized that I'd need
500' or so to recover from a spin in a panic situation, and still need
glide to the airport once I recovered my composure. If I got into a
spin I'd also better have room to maneuver on the heading I recovered
with. How many of us practice spin recovery to a heading, low, over
rocks? =0
Circling down low whether over hills or flat ground presents
complications in visual perspective that have been thoroughly addressed
here in the past (Google some or Eric June's posts about his crash for a
start) As Stu said, 600-800 feet of air underneath is a pretty good
recommendation to *live* by.
Interesting thing about the flight; By following the ridge lines
keeping wind and sun in mind, I was able to run out of the hills at
300-400 feet over the ridges, maintaining my altitude until I had enough
altitude to circle comfortably (which, remember includes the thermals
spreading out enough to be useful).
Just for good measure, later in the flight I did some practice turning
stalls, to make sure my stall warning calibration was reasonable.
YMMV, but for recreational pilots like me, these are good guidelines.

Shawn