Tow or Hill Training?
This comparison is a prime example of one of the many reasons we changed to using a winch for basic pilot training. Taster Day (Hill) • First hour spent on safety briefing and paperwork. • Remainder of the morning spent discussing the weather conditions and learning to understand why it is you’re on the wrong hill and now have to move to another flying site because the wind is different to the forecast – then an hour or two of your day wasted while you move. • After lunch, now starting to get to grips with the glider and how it works; running around with it being careful not to stick your foot down a rabbit or badger hole, put your glider on the fence or get yourself and your glider covered in sheep or cow dung. • Mid-afternoon, just starting a few little ‘hops’ off the ground (duration probably just a few seconds). • Late afternoon finishing off with a flight or two at about 20 or 30 feet above the ground (duration still just a few seconds – a full minute if you’re really lucky). • En
