Hard Deck

, I'm landing NOW". Each step of each flight, think "Where's the next field, and how far can I go before I might not be able to reach it ?" This is pretty basic, but we haven't been flying this way."

Dave thanks for posting your article. I had read it before bur forgot about it's existence. Fantastic practical insight directly applicable.

If I was to try and distill one single reason for why we see guys getting themselves in a pickle today, irregardless of soaring location, and irregardless of the forensics of their accident be it stall spin or connecting with a rock face, I would have to say it is because of the tremendous performance of our midern ships.

Many of the guys racing today have never experienced what its like to race a low/mid performance machines, and hence they have been so conditioned to the great long legs and benign handling of modern ships that they have never learned the lessons needed when flying those poorer ships. Namely, before committing to a path, always having a way out (a field, an option, an alternative), learning to outland with minimum energy and minimum rolling distance. Expecting the unexpected, "what do I do if that ridge isn't working?" Etc.

Secondly, due to "perceived" performance, guys either don't know how to "change gears" or put it off till no options exist. The last resort gear change I am referring to is pure survival mode. Yes guys mostly know how to slow it up when conditions get iffy, but do they know how to give-it-up while not giving up on flying the bird. Theres a time to stop racing and start scratching, theres a time to stop scratching and start landing, and if both of those times have past unrecognized, theres a time to put her down in a CONTROLLED MANNER with minimum energy knowing your gonna bust up the machine seriously, but you may save your ass in the process.

I have found that pilots who have a healthy amount of xc experience in lesser performing ships tend to be safer more conservative fliers once they upgrade (exceptions exist). They have mostly had to forsee getting across rough stretches of terrain with crappy L/D. They have experienced a bunch of true outlandings, I'm talking about bean fields not away-from-home airports, and they have been forced to make "gear changing" decisions much earlier and much more frequently than is necessary with the better performing ships.

All of this experience has conditioned them to make better, earlier decisions.
Dan