Differences in Italian vs US soaring instruction?

Hello Michael,

I am not familiar with the Italian procedures, I live and fly in
Denmark. -But as a fellow instructor, I find it very reassuring and positive
that you take this approach to your instructing. -I have met others that
just fall into the habit of concluding that any "foreign" instruction and
procedures are simply inferior..

I have flown in quite a few countries around the Globe, including the
USA. -And yes, the procedures are different. Flying basics are the same, off
course, but it is the little things that gets you. E.g.. waggle the rudder
means "go" in the US as I remember it. -Found out when I checked the control
surfaces at the runway at Minden one day some years ago ;-)

It would certainly be helpful (and maybe even save a life or two) if there
was some kind of central database on the web where one could look up a
summary of the procedures used in various countries. Is this something that
the SSA could do in the US? What about the IGC? -the FAI? It seems like an
obvious task for the international, as well as the larger national
organizations.

Happy soaring,
Lars Peder





"Michael" wrote in message
om...
Can anyone who is familiar with soaring instruction in the US and
Italy comment on the differences? I ask because I have started
training a 'student' - actually an Italian licensed glider pilot - who
wants to add US glider ratings to his US commercial and CFI
certificates. His flying is generally very good, but I have already
noticed that there are things he is not familiar with that any US
glider pilot with a hundred flights would certainly know.

So far, I've noticed that there are certain wing runner signals he is
not familiar with - I assume this is because Italian procedures differ
from those in the US. He also has obviously had no instruction in
formal glider XC planning (as opposed to actually flying XC - this he
has done) and has never heard of the PTS accuracy landing as we do it
in the US.

I would appreciate as much information on the differences between the
US and Italian systems of instruction as possible, mainly so that I
can identify the likely problem areas and make sure we cover them in
depth. I've tried to find the Italian equivalent of a glider PTS, and
have had no luck at all.

Michael