Paul Kaye wrote:

As a bit of light relief to this e-mail tennis, I thought
I'd add an 'interesting' idea that did the rounds in
the UK a few years ago. Basically, the BGA instructors'
committee (or the national coach, can't remember exactly
now) suggested that if you were high on finals, pulling
full brake/spoiler and diving at the ground would burn
off more energy than other options. We had great fun
trying this out one weekend until our CFI decided his
aircraft were in mortal danger and stopped the experiment.

I find the technique quite useful in gliders with good but not extremely
powerful airbrakes (don't need to use it in the Blanik!), but it does
work better if you turn base to final with plenty of height. I prefer
that, so I don't use airbrakes or slipping turns in the pattern (except
for the rare "expedited" arrival) until I've turned onto final. Making
turns 600-800 feet off the ground has always seemed safer than 300 feet.

I'm told it is an EXTEMELY effective method in gliders with trailing
edge divebrakes.
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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA