(Mark James Boyd) wrote in message news:404e5e95$1@darkstar...

Of course not G. LOL. I'm just trying to see where the verbiage is
for each of these tasks. Keep in mind, the free 3-TP tasks seem to
allow just that, and yes, one can plan for those too, so although
it doesn't apply to the non-free tasks, such an idea isn't so farfetched
when flying for free records. I've planned, gotten briefed, and flown to
20-30 airports in one day before. Duats makes this less complex to
plan and brief than one might imagine.

If I was flying the quite respectable distances you overachievers do,
I'd certainly have a standard duats course which included all the
airports that were potential landouts on the way. "Crosswind runway
closed for construction" is nice to know beforehand.

Duats? Glider pilots don't need no stinkin Duats! We got Blipmaps!
Seriously, since I quit flying power (too boring - I got spoiled in
the AF) and went over completely to the dark side, I haven't filed a
flight plan or bothered with Duats in 10 years and almost 2000 hrs of
glider rides, XC, and racing. Wrong tool for the task. Most of the
time a flight is decided on the run, going where the weather is best
at the time, not where the weather guesser said it would be. Pretty
much blows a flightplan out of the water. Ditto Duats. Why bother?
What counts is the homework in getting to really know the local
weather and the local area (defined as anywhere you can reach on the
best possible day) - All airfields, airstrips, possible landout areas,
etc; and if required making your own accurate database for your
navigation device of choice (marked-up chart, GPS, nav computer,
whatever). It's all in the homework, as always...but hey, that's what
winter is for.
In my opinion, trying to apply your comfortable (and don't get me
wrong, absolutely proper in context) power procedures to glider XC may
be somewhat inappropriate - It really isn't comparable, and may even
be a hindrance by setting up a mindset of "I'll plan this flight, and
then I'm going to fly it no matter what!"; when the logical course of
action would be to go somewhere totally different. Of course, with a
declared badge flight, or some contest flights (AST only), you could
go the flight plan/Duats route; no harm done - But I shudder at the
concept of a "standard glider flight". I wonder if any other glider
pilots make the effort?

Believe it or not, I got the wife and baby at the gliderport!
And they had a blast. I dunno about this ground retrieve idea tho,
sounds sketchy to me... ;(

So you think the spousal unit won't enjoy a little trip in the
country, followed by a nice steak dinner? Try her, you might be
surprised! Just park the munchkin in the back of a 2-33 (behind the
back seat is my suggestion) and let her round up some big pool cleaner
types to do the heavy lifting!

Happy flights!

Kirk