Safe Spinning

Download a copy of this poster to display on your club noticeboard

Inadvertent stalling and spinning ‘in’ is the biggest killer of pilots flying gliders. Together with winch accidents and mid air collisions, it  accounts for approximately 80% of all fatal accidents in gliding. You may also know that the winching initiative seems to be having a positive effect. We can see this effect through accident statistics that are collected and analysed every year. What is more difficult to quantify is the human effect of this . However, our aim is clear -  attempting to have more of our gliding friends alive at the end of the year!

The majority of fatal winch accidents are from spinning but pilots find a great many other ways to spin their gliders into the ground. One thing that does emerge as a fact from the statistics is that:

Practicing spinning is very safe. Of the 163 fatal and serious injury spinning accidents from 1974-2008 only one (perhaps, two) were from pilots practising spinning.

Another key issue that comes from looking at each individual spinning accident is that in almost all cases it appeared that the pilot was concentrating on something other than flying the glider at the time of the accident.

In the majority of spinning accidents the pilot appears to have been distracted.

So what should you do to avoid becoming the next statistic? Well, safe in the knowledge that, thought through and carried out at a safe height, practice spinning is very safe – so, please practice! The best way to practice is in a suitable two seat glider with an instructor. This is not just a token spin – that will not arm you with the skills you need to recognise what is going on. The instructor should properly brief and instruct the nuances of what’s happening leading up to the stall, including lots of spin avoidance advice. This training will culminate in spins and recoveries. Once you and your instructor are confident in your ability, you are encouraged to spin your own glider, if it is allowed. If not, taking it to the point of wing drop gives you lots of information on its behaviour.

In addition,you will see articles in S&G (reproduced here) on the subject of defensive flying, and how to avoid being so distracted that you miss all the vital signs that the glider is about to depart.

This activity is of course voluntary, costs little, and is a life saver. Please take part.

Resources

Article by BGA National Coach Mike Fox, (courtesy of Sailplane & Gliding)	Download a copy of this poster to display on your club noticeboard	Information for BGA instructors