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Fatal Spiral Dive - The Accident, The Aerodynamics, The Lessons Risk

By Christopher Thorpe A fatal spiral dive accident offers critical lessons for every glider pilot. How small factors can rapidly align into an unrecoverable flight upset — and how we must train to recognise and recover. The IncidentIn October 2017, an experienced competition…
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Pick-a-Paddock - Outlanding Training

By Anna Poroshenkova The weekend of 13-14 June, three women went to Temora Airfield for the outlanding training course instructed by Scott Lennon and organised by Melysha Turnbull. We were joined by David Mcllroy who was interested as well. The aircraft used for training was…
NSW Instructor Course

NSW Gliding instructor course

The NSW Gliding instructor course run at Narromine between 17-21 November 2025 was a test of energy, endurance and logistics, where perhaps the latter was the most challenging.I had responded to some strong pushes from keen, dynamic women pilots in two clubs. As a result, when…

When Good Instruction Meets Harsh Reality

Lessons in Managing Training By Christopher Thorpe Even the most experienced instructors can find themselves in situations where sound intentions collide with the unforgiving realities of aerodynamics and human performance. But just as important, inexperienced instructors – newly…
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Sophie Curio - Weather & Task Planning

Skysight CU Overview showing the forecast development of cumulus in the task area. Organised by the Rockettes, two-time Club Class Australian champion, Sophie Curio, gave a webinar about Weather Planning and Flight Preparation. In the webinar she described the planning process…
NSW Coaching 5

Achieving Goals at Narromine Coaching Week

Flying over the Warrumbungles on the last day of the course. By Sean Young The NSW Coaching Week welcomed 13 pilots and featured six coaches working in five dual-seat gliders. Serge Lauriou, the CFI of Bathurst Soaring Club, flew a lead-and-follow flight each day, which gave the…
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Coaching with G Dale

G Dale with Jacob Bloom. By G Dale A long time ago, I followed John Williamson from the UK out to Benalla in search of a 750 diploma. John – a competition pilot, coach and the inventor of the John Willy calculator – had clearly realised that the best way to escape the British…
Water ballast

Fly Like a Rock - With Water Ballast

By Dave ShorterThis article first appeared in Keep Soaring - LKSC and is reproduced with their kind permission. It’s a well established phenomenon that if you throw a feather, it won’t go far, but throw a rock with the same force and see how far it goes. And so it is with…
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Training Systems Evolution Standardisation and Safety

By DREW MCKINNIE GLIDING AUSTRALIA SAFETY MANAGER Time flies! A decade ago, in mid 2012, I was a staff instructor on an Instructor Training Course at Bunyan NSW. It was a busy week, and I found myself flying with a talented young instructor candidate who had learned interstate.…
BSC Instructors 5

New Instructors Ready to Fly

Instructors and trainees at the Bathurst SC Instructors Training Course. In March and April and June Instructor Training courses were held at Canberra Gliding Club and Bathurst Soaring Club. Several new instructors are now ready to teach the next generation of glider pilots (of…
2021 Coaching week 3 Large

SAGA COACHING WEEK

By Craig Vinall, SAGA Soaring Development Manager This year’s SAGA Coaching Week at Waikerie was a great success, featuring 30 coaches and students flying in five twin seat and seven single single seat gliders, and benefiting from some outstanding weather. Several great…
Aerotowing

Aero Towing out of Paddocks - Additions

Last month’s article on aerotowing out of paddocks had some useful practical information for glider pilots to consider when requesting an aerotow retrieve from a paddock. By Patrick BarfieldChair of the GFA Operations Panel It is worth pointing out that the GFA Aerotowing Manual…
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Integrated Training Program (ITP)

Why has the training system been updated?The need for an Integrated Training Project (ITP), as well as the need to address various related isses, have been identified during the 2015, 2017 and 2019 GFA member surveys, evidence that our training system hasn’t been updated for…
Paddocks

Aero Towing out of Paddocks

By James Cooper When pilots go through cross country endorsement, the outlanding check is conducted in a two-seater and the instructor usually heads for a large flat paddock that will be suitable for the exercise. This paddock is likely to be well known to the instructor and, in…
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Thermal Structure

Over some years, I have considered my theories on the development of thermals and streets, as the two blend together, and they consistently appear to be proved correct. Most of the ideas are from my personal observations, but stem from a concept mentioned in Wallington’s Weather…
AWPA Jo Davis 1

AWPA – Australian Women Pilots’ Association Scholarship and awards

The APWA offers a number of scholarships to learn how to fly and improve flying skills, for female fixed wing power pilots, as well as helicopter pilots and glider pilots of any age and experience level. Please check the website for more details:awpa.org.au/scholarships-awards…
Paddocks

Aero Towing out of Paddocks

By James Cooper When pilots go through cross country endorsement, the outlanding check is conducted in a two-seater and the instructor usually heads for a large flat paddock that will be suitable for the exercise. This paddock is likely to be well known to the instructor and, in…
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Stress

I wonder how many times you have seen a pilot, competent or even highly competent, make a stupid mistake. Over many years of flying, I have seen accidents and incidents that fall into this category. By James Cooper Then of course, relatively inexperienced pilots can make what…
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Thermal Sources

Thermal Sources By James Cooper Many years ago when reading Wallington’s Weather for Glider Pilots I noted the absolute concept of how thermals develop.a) The sun heats the ground.b) The ground heats the air in contact with the ground.c) The air does not immediately rise but is…
E Tug

E Tug Update

E Tug Update By Michael Shirley The eTug Group Robert Pugh (GCV, Benalla) is claiming an Australian – and probably a World – record launch rate for a Piper Pawnee PA25, the workhorse tow plane of the Australian gliding movement.Robert has videoed a launch of an ASK-21, two-up,…
Gliding Australia Magazine 6

Cross Country Planning

Track line on map from Tocumwal to Mt Arthur. First aiming point is Berrigan township. From there, the bottom end of Lake Urana should be visible on a normal day. There is a straight road from Urana to Boree Creek. There is also a wheat silo on track on the Sturt Highway…
  1. Fatal Spiral Dive - The Accident, The Aerodynamics, The Lessons Risk