Nil or Light Wind Landing


These landings involve very precise timing of the flare. Ground speed will be high so any misjudgment can involve hitting the ground or the glider very hard. Be prepared for considerable float in 'ground effect'. From the 'ideal position' you should:

INCREASE SPEED

Max. glide speed provides good control response. Move hands to uprights (just below 1/2 way up them). Get legs clear of harness but keep them back and shoulders down. Look ahead. Maintain speed

HOLD OFF

Round out so base bar 3 feet above ground. Maintain 3 feet by small 1/2" pushouts, slowly bleeding off speed.

FLARE

When no longer possible to maintain 3', flare out and up in one swift full movement. Land on legs.

FINISH

Unclip. Move glider out of landing area. Park securely

Common Faults:

Slowing the glider down on approach results in no energy for flare. Moving body into upright position - results in reduced amount of flare available. (Important in nil wind). Flaring too early - glider climbs, pilot pulls back, glider noses in. Unless you have climbed fifteen feet or more NEVER PULL

BACK. Flaring too gently - here the glider climbs and stalls, the nose drops through (as with most stalls) and you stuff in.

Flaring too late - here the glider simply mushes forward, nose stalling and dropping, tips still flying, the pilot hanging out the back wishing he was elsewhere.

Trying to run the glider on. The transfer of the pilot's weight to the ground effectively removes the control pivot point (the top of the hang strap). Any push out simply pushes the glider forward rather than rotating it nose up.

Not looking ahead - height judgment depends on peripheral vision. The correct flare rotates the nose up near the vertical, killing all lift and killing all forward energy - the wing becoming effectively a huge drag brake. The centre of gravity of the wing is placed above or slightly behind the pilot's C of G so the wing falls back vertically onto the pilot's shoulders.

If the landing really does turn to worms, and you are about to nose in in a big way, let go of the uprights in the last split second. You might save the upright, and much more importantly you might save your arm.

If nil-wind landings are giving you trouble why not put some wheels on your glider and go back to the training slope or to the winch field next time there's light winds, and spend an afternoon practicing? If you can, get your Club Coach or an Instructor to watch you to see if he can identify the problem area - once that's identified doing something about it becomes easier. Good luck and (dare I say it) Happy Landings, Pie by Graeme Baird