Women's Gliding

Female Competition Pilot Development

Members of the British Team run development training for up-and-coming female glider pilots. We would like to hear from ALL women pilots who might be interested. Please don't rule yourself out due to inexperience or experience - we would like to hear from anyone who is regularly flying cross-country or has the ambition to do so. In the past, sessions have been held covering areas such as development days of flying and ground school, objectives setting and mentoring. You can see more details of what has already happened by looking at the news archive items below. Please contact Liz Sparrow - ebertoya@iee.org - to get involved, and to hear of future events, simply sign up for the free BGA email subscriptions, making sure you tick the box for Women.

NEWS

Competition Development: 2nd North and South Comp-ette 15th January 2010

After the success of the inaugural Comp-ette last year, the usual suspects have been prevailed upon to run the 2nd North and South Compette at Lasham and Pocklington on 24/25 April 2010.  As last year, we will race cross-country when weather permits, and talk about it if we can't do it or when we get back.  Details, celebrities and entry fee etc are not yet confirmed, but please do let us know if you want to reserve a place: Tim Milner for Pocklington or Liz Sparrow for Lasham.  This is the competition with a difference:  it is for everyone to learn how to fly faster and not necessarily about winning.  But, having said that... (if you're a southerner) it is a chance to avenge last year's sneaky capture of the N&S trophy / (or, if you are a northerner) make sure we rub the faces of the soft southerners further into the dirt!

Plans for 2010 20th November 2009

The team are currently working on the development programme for this winter, and will be posting news on this shortly. The plan this year is to focus more sharply on pilots who are on the verge of team qualification and we're also hoping that the Comp-ette continues after the great fun and success last year. We'd like feedback from you all as to how last year's events helped you progress and improve this summer, and what you feel would be most useful to you now - so drop us a line and let us know. Any volunteers to help organise events? And perhaps to inspire you, you might read the book by Gill van den Broeck on the history of Women's European and World Gliding Championships - Gill has given us a small number of copies to sell in the UK priced Euros15. As ever, contact Liz Sparrow.

Improve your competition Flying in 2009 1st January 2009

UPDATE 15th February - The First North v South Comp-ette 25/26 April

Following a successful day at Bicester on 8th February, the northern contingent have thrown down the gauntlet and we will now be running parallel events at Pocklington and Lasham on 25/26 April. The weekend will feature comp tasks when possible, and in between we'll have tips from British team members, coaches and other pundits on how to fly faster.  For those who attended the extremely successful day at Bicester, this is the chance to put it all into practice.
There will be an entry fee of £10 to cover prizes.  The Compette is booking up fast, but a small number of places remain if you're quick to email interest to Liz Sparrow ebertoya@iee.org  There will be some two-seater spaces available at each venue. 

UPDATE 3rd January 2009

Places are filling up fast, especially for the Lasham comp-ette where spaces are strictly limited, so please book your place ASAP - there are some places still available for you girls to give the chaps a good thrashing...  Email Liz ASAP and certainly by Sunday 18 January to register your interest.

Make a new year's resolution to improve your competition flying this year by putting the following dates in your diary:

Sunday 8 February - Bicester. Members of the British Team and the team coaches will be covering a number of great topics and tips on how to fly faster and score more points.  This will be based around interactive sessions - yup, you get to do some of the work! - and will include masterclasses in areas such as getting more out of task setting, the weather and your instrumentation.

Sat 25/Sun 26 April - Spring 'Comp-ette'   - Lasham. Put the theory from the session above into practice at this weekend which will pick up on the topics covered in February and then put it all into practice in the sky and later no doubt in the bar!  Bring your single seater, and we hope to have some two-seater places available.  Those attending the February session will get priority on places for the weekend.  

To register interest and book a place on the day and the Comp-ette, email Liz Sparrow ebertoya@iee.org Some places will be reserved for women, so get in touch early to book your place.

Women Pilots' Development Plans 2009 26th October 2008

The organisers of the women’s development programme are currently working on their programme of events for the coming season and would welcome suggestions about how they can help you.  They would also appreciate anyone who attended the 2008 sessions dropping them an Email explaining how these helped (or didn’t!).  Emails please to Liz Sparrow.

2008 Development Weekend

UPDATE 10th March 2008
There are a few places still available on the development weekend.  If you're an up-and-coming comp pilot and want to learn to fly faster, book your free place ASAP - numbers are limited.  Plans for the weekend include flying as weather permits, and briefing /discussion with members of the British Team in between times.  There will be a very limited amount of 2-seater flying available, so do bring your glider to put it all into practice.  Contact Liz Sparrow to book a place. Please note that if attending and intending to fly, you must bring your current medical declaration with you.

The women’s development group ran three very successful weekends during 2006 and 2007 which were designed to help pilots move their cross country and competition flying forward to the next level.  The group is now planning another event for early 2008 with one major difference to the earlier events – having a Y chromosome will not disqualify you from participating!

All pilots, male or female, who have flown in a rated competition (regionals or nationals) and who want to improve their skills are invited to the competition development weekend at Sutton Bank on 5-6th April.  Run in conjunction with the BGA coaching operation, the weekend will offer a ground school and practical flying designed to improve competitiveness.  This is a great opportunity to learn from current British team members, who will be supporting the event.

There are only 25 places available so, if you want to hone your skills ready for the new competition season with BGA coaches and members of the British gliding team – still the world’s number one – as well as, hopefully, enjoying some good flying in the process, contact Liz Sparrow to book your place.

Northern Regionals 16th July 2007

The organisers of the Northern Regionals (Sutton Bank, 4-12 August) are supporting the women's development group by offering a reduced entry fee of only £50 to all women pilots. This is made possible by generous support from Hill Aviation. To take advantage of this opportunity, please contact Josephine at Yorkshire GC, stating that you are from the Women's Development Group. (You should also quote this when completing your entry form). More details are on the Yorkshire GC web site.

Hexencup 2007 11th February 2007

The German Aero Club invites British women pilots of all levels to join them for the Hexencup 2007. The Witch Cup will be held in Klix, Germany - scene of the 2005 Women's Worlds - from Friday 27 July to Saturday 4 August 2007. There will beh two classes: Beginner for pilots with a Silver C but little or no competition experience, and Professional for those with competition experience. Famililes and other women pilots of any level or nationality will also be warmly welcomed for this 'adventure holiday'. For more information, please contact Thomas Kirsch at aeroteamKLIX Segelflug.

Women Pilots' Development Weekend at Nympsfield 14/15 April 2007 6th December 2006

After the success of the Lasham weekend last year and bearing in mind the feedback you sent us, we have arranged a development weekend at Nympsfield in the spring.  Pilots of all ability/experience welcome - please don't assume it's not for you if you don't fly xc/comps yet.  Bring your own glider, but we also hope to have have a number of two-seater places available (list to date is a DG505, a Nimbus3DT and a Duo).  As last time, the weekend will include a mixture of flying and ground events/lectures - and we'll be asking the Nympsfield committee  to organise the weather...  Detailed arrangements will be circulated nearer the time, meanwhile book the weekend in your diary and we'll see you there!  Any questions to Liz Sparrow ebertoya@iee.org

Development Meeting – 11 November 25th October 2006

The Women's Development initiative continues with a meeting at Husbands Bosworth on 11 November, from lunchtime until 3.30pm. All are welcome: the agenda will include a debrief of the season just past, feedback and ideas for development events for the year to come and some inspiration to fire you up through the cold weather with X-C techniques you can work on through the winter.

If you know any woman pilots local to Hus Bos, please let them know about this meeting. If you are unable to make it but have some feedback on previous events, your achievements during the season, or suggestions as to what development events you would like us to offer during the coming year, then please email Liz Sparrow.

Coaching Week at Issodun 20-27 August 30th June 2006

Ayala Liran and Hannah Hay have been selected for 2 seater coaching. We would like to widen the opportunity somewhat. Anyone who has flown a Nationals or intends to do so this year is welcome to bring their own glider along and join us - please contact Gill Spreckley. It is relatively short notice but we hope that some of you will be able to join in.  If people can only make part of the time, it may be possible to broker glider-sharing arrangements - we'll have to see who wants what. The format for the week will be to set typical comp tasks each day, with one of the team piloting the Duo with one of the coachees (?!) and one in an LS4.  We will intersperse the flying with the usual groundschool subjects as well as sampling the local cuisine.  Contact Gill for all arrangements.

XC Weekend at Lasham - 10/11 June 26th March 2006

Everyone is invited to join us for a XC weekend on 10/11 June - lectures and barbecue will be fitted around the tasks.  Several of the British Team will be there and we hope to arrange some 2-seater places.  It would be useful to have an idea of numbers so please let Liz ebertoya@iee.org know if you are intending to come along.

Development training at Women's Pre-Worlds 4th March 2006

The venue for the next Women's Worlds is likely to change and we are now planning to offer development training during the Nationals at Issoudun, 13 - 19 August.  We intend to offer training places to two or three people.  All who are interested, please submit a gliding CV and covering note explaining why you would benefit from this training.  We hope to have sponsorship to by cover some of the costs, so please don't let finance stop you from applying.  Applications to Liz Sparrow by Friday 31 March.

Female Pilot In-flight Relief and NavPlot NOTAM Mapping 26th February 2006

After our discussions on personal hygiene at Bicester, I have collected all the info together and posted it at www.freeflight.org.uk.  You can also download NavPlot, Alan's NOTAM mapping programme, from this site; even if you already have this, you might want to download the the latest upgrade which now shows key permanent airspace on the map - useful for relating where the NOTAMs actually are.

Objectives Setting and Psychological Preparation 24th February 2006

Diana King offered two pointers on this at Bicester and confirms that the book she mentioned is 'Sporting Body, Sporting Mind,' by John Syer and Christopher Connolly, published by Cambridge University Press.  She writes:  'I've found it enormously useful on goal setting, planning and organising a programme to achieve the goals.  It is also good on psychological factors.  There is quite a bit on physical aspects which are of less relevance, but altogether it's a very good book for people wanting to improve their own personal performance, particularly in competitive situations.  It's still in print and I found it tonight on Amazon.'
She also promised the goal setting and assessment format she has been developing, and you can download it here.  Feedback at the end of the season to Diana or Liz please if you use it!

Bicester Development Day 15th January 2006

29 pilots turned up to listen to Liz Sparrow, Rose Johnson and Pete Masson talk about international competitions, comp preparation, objectives setting and how to fly faster.  We think it was the largest ever gathering of female cross-country pilots in the UK.  The most experienced pilot present - Jane Randle - admitted to 45 years flying experience, while at the other end of the scale we had one pilot who has not yet discovered the joys of solo cross-country.  Just over 1/3 of those present were either nationals pilots or intending to fly their first Nationals this year, another third were looking forward to their first competition, and in between we had a group of keen Regionals pilots. 
The day was very interactive, and we all enjoyed sharing knowledge and experience.  A discussion of how people would like to take this group forward started on the day and has continued since; anyone who wants to find out more or take part in any of the development opportunities to come, contact Liz Sparrow ebertoya@iee.org

Several people have written to me to say that they found it really useful and inspiring - and at the time of writing one week later, about half a dozen tell me they have entered their first competition directly as a result of coming along - so that's terrific news.

You can see the overall agenda and slides from the day here.