SOME PREFLIGHT SAFETY TIP'S FROM NORM
HERE ARE A FEW THING'S WE HAVE LEARNED OVER THE YEAR'S THAT MAY ONE
DAY SAVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY IN REPAIR COST'S AND PERSONAL INJURY.
WHEN YOU ATTEND A FLY-IN OR JUST GET TOGETHER WITH FRIENDS TO FLY
AND THE WEATHER HAS YOU GROUNDED FOR AWHILE, INVITE THE GROUP TO
LOOK OVER YOUR MACHINE AND SEE IF THEY CAN FIND ANYTHING OUT OF
ORDER. YOU WILL MOST LIKELY BE SURPRISED AT WHAT THEY CAN COME UP
WITH.
WE RECENTLY HAD A VISITING PILOT LAY OUT HIS CHUTE TO FIND A TWIST IN THE
LINES. WHILE WE WERE WORKING TO GET THIS STRAIGHTENED OUT, ONE OF
THE GUY'S NOTICED THAT HIS QUICK LINKS AT THE TOP OF THE STRAP RISERS
WERE ATTACHED TO THE SMALL STRAP DESIGNED TO KEEP A CERTAIN
DISTANCE BETWEEN THE UPPER ATTACH POINTS AND NOT THROUGH THE RISER
ITSELF!!!! "WOW", HE HAD FLOWN IN THIS CONFIGURATION FOR ABOUT 10
HOURS AND WAS MIGHTY GRATEFUL TO THE FELLOW WHO POINTED THIS OUT,
AS, YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS LITTLE STRAP
WOULD HAVE FAILED???
WE GET USED TO LOOKING AT THINGS AND SEEING WHAT WE WANT TO SEE AND
CAN OVERLOOK PROBLEMS TIME AND AGAIN WHEN MAYBE IT WILL BE OBVIOUS
TO SOMEONE ELSE.
ANOTHER THING I TRY TO DRILL INTO MY STUDENTS IS TO ALWAYS START YOUR
PARACHUTE LINE CHECK AT THE ATTACH POINT FOR THE STEERING LINE'S.
IT IS COMMON TO SEE THE PILOT STRETCH OUT THE CHUTE THEN GO TO THE
TOP OF THE RISERS AND START SHAKING THE LINES TO LOOK FOR TANGLES.
THIS WAY YOU COULD MISS A STEERING LINE CAUGHT UP ON THE AIR FRAME
SOME WHERE. THIS OF COURSE, COULD CAUSE YOU TO LIFT OFF IN A HARD
TURN AND I HAVE SEEN IT HAPPEN, WITH SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE AIR FRAME,
AND SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE PILOTS EGO AS WELL.
SO, STRETCH OUT YOUR LINES TILL THEY ARE TIGHT, THEN START AT THE
STEERING LINE KNOT'S AND LOOK FOR PROPER LAY OF THE RISER ATTACH
POINTS AT THE AIR FRAME, ANY "TWIST" IN THE RISER'S THEMSELVES, AND
'TWIST" IN THE CHUTE LINES AS WELL AS PROPER ATTACHMENT OF THE QUICK
LINK'S.
ANOTHER THING IS TO HAVE PLENTY OF WIND INDICATORS AROUND THE FIELD.
A FLAG MAKES A FINE WIND INDICATOR AS IT WILL BE SHOWING MOVEMENT EVEN
WHEN THE WIND SOCKS ARE LAYING LIMP. A GREAT LITTLE INDICATOR THAT
COSTS PRACTICALLY NOTHING, IS A PIECE OF LIGHT WEIGHT RIBBON TIED ON
YOUR MACHINE SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT JUST BEFORE YOU APPLY
POWER FOR TAKE-OFF, SO IF YOU NEED TO MAKE A SLIGHT TURN INTO THE
WIND, YOU CAN DO SO.
REMEMBER THE THREE BASIC RULES FOR A SAFE TAKE-OFF AND LANDING.
#1 ALWAYS INTO THE WIND.
#2 ALWAYS INTO THE WIND.
#3 ALWAYS INTO THE WIND
WE WISH YOU ALL BLUE SKIES AND LIGHT, STEADY WIND'S WHENEVER YOU FLY
CAMELOT AIR PARK IS FOR SALE!! CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR INFO.
HERE ARE A FEW THING'S WE HAVE LEARNED OVER THE YEAR'S THAT MAY ONE
DAY SAVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY IN REPAIR COST'S AND PERSONAL INJURY.
WHEN YOU ATTEND A FLY-IN OR JUST GET TOGETHER WITH FRIENDS TO FLY
AND THE WEATHER HAS YOU GROUNDED FOR AWHILE, INVITE THE GROUP TO
LOOK OVER YOUR MACHINE AND SEE IF THEY CAN FIND ANYTHING OUT OF
ORDER. YOU WILL MOST LIKELY BE SURPRISED AT WHAT THEY CAN COME UP
WITH.
WE RECENTLY HAD A VISITING PILOT LAY OUT HIS CHUTE TO FIND A TWIST IN THE
LINES. WHILE WE WERE WORKING TO GET THIS STRAIGHTENED OUT, ONE OF
THE GUY'S NOTICED THAT HIS QUICK LINKS AT THE TOP OF THE STRAP RISERS
WERE ATTACHED TO THE SMALL STRAP DESIGNED TO KEEP A CERTAIN
DISTANCE BETWEEN THE UPPER ATTACH POINTS AND NOT THROUGH THE RISER
ITSELF!!!! "WOW", HE HAD FLOWN IN THIS CONFIGURATION FOR ABOUT 10
HOURS AND WAS MIGHTY GRATEFUL TO THE FELLOW WHO POINTED THIS OUT,
AS, YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS LITTLE STRAP
WOULD HAVE FAILED???
WE GET USED TO LOOKING AT THINGS AND SEEING WHAT WE WANT TO SEE AND
CAN OVERLOOK PROBLEMS TIME AND AGAIN WHEN MAYBE IT WILL BE OBVIOUS
TO SOMEONE ELSE.
ANOTHER THING I TRY TO DRILL INTO MY STUDENTS IS TO ALWAYS START YOUR
PARACHUTE LINE CHECK AT THE ATTACH POINT FOR THE STEERING LINE'S.
IT IS COMMON TO SEE THE PILOT STRETCH OUT THE CHUTE THEN GO TO THE
TOP OF THE RISERS AND START SHAKING THE LINES TO LOOK FOR TANGLES.
THIS WAY YOU COULD MISS A STEERING LINE CAUGHT UP ON THE AIR FRAME
SOME WHERE. THIS OF COURSE, COULD CAUSE YOU TO LIFT OFF IN A HARD
TURN AND I HAVE SEEN IT HAPPEN, WITH SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE AIR FRAME,
AND SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE PILOTS EGO AS WELL.
SO, STRETCH OUT YOUR LINES TILL THEY ARE TIGHT, THEN START AT THE
STEERING LINE KNOT'S AND LOOK FOR PROPER LAY OF THE RISER ATTACH
POINTS AT THE AIR FRAME, ANY "TWIST" IN THE RISER'S THEMSELVES, AND
'TWIST" IN THE CHUTE LINES AS WELL AS PROPER ATTACHMENT OF THE QUICK
LINK'S.
ANOTHER THING IS TO HAVE PLENTY OF WIND INDICATORS AROUND THE FIELD.
A FLAG MAKES A FINE WIND INDICATOR AS IT WILL BE SHOWING MOVEMENT EVEN
WHEN THE WIND SOCKS ARE LAYING LIMP. A GREAT LITTLE INDICATOR THAT
COSTS PRACTICALLY NOTHING, IS A PIECE OF LIGHT WEIGHT RIBBON TIED ON
YOUR MACHINE SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT JUST BEFORE YOU APPLY
POWER FOR TAKE-OFF, SO IF YOU NEED TO MAKE A SLIGHT TURN INTO THE
WIND, YOU CAN DO SO.
REMEMBER THE THREE BASIC RULES FOR A SAFE TAKE-OFF AND LANDING.
#1 ALWAYS INTO THE WIND.
#2 ALWAYS INTO THE WIND.
#3 ALWAYS INTO THE WIND
WE WISH YOU ALL BLUE SKIES AND LIGHT, STEADY WIND'S WHENEVER YOU FLY
CAMELOT AIR PARK IS FOR SALE!! CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR INFO.
 |
 |
 |
 |
<<< CLICK ON THIS LIGHTNING BOLT TO GO TO THE
NOAA LIGHTNING SAFETY SITE FOR INFORMATION
ON LIGHTNING SAFETY. THIS SHOULD BE
REQUIRED READING FOR ALL PPC PILOTS.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE SEVERAL MILES FROM THE
STORM CELLS.
WHEN THUNDER ROARS GO INDOORS
NOAA LIGHTNING SAFETY SITE FOR INFORMATION
ON LIGHTNING SAFETY. THIS SHOULD BE
REQUIRED READING FOR ALL PPC PILOTS.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE SEVERAL MILES FROM THE
STORM CELLS.
WHEN THUNDER ROARS GO INDOORS