preferrred bank angle indicator?

David Starer wrote:
I'd endorse everything that others have said about avoiding entering cloud
if your glider isn't suitably equipped and/or you aren't trained to fly in
IMC.

However the best intentions sometimes go astray and there's always the
chance you may inadvertently enter cloud. In these circumstances a good
standby plan is to gently open the airbrakes and - this is very important -
let go of the controls. So long as you are trimmed for circling most gliders
flown stick free with the brakes open will just adopt a gentle descending
turn at moderate speed and this will get you out of cloud - eventually. You
can try this, away from cloud of course, and doing so may give you
confidence that it will work if you ever need to do it for real.

Be sure to include some "upsets" in your testing, as any cloud that can
suck you into the bottom will have plenty of turbulence to provide real
upsets. Some gliders will not settle back into a benign spiral after an
upset.

Wave clouds can supply some turbulence, too.
--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA

www.motorglider.org - Download "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane
Operation"