Acknowledgment

Thanks to Cindy Donovan for this thoughtful paper.  Cindy has presented this material to the members of Valley Soaring Association, and appreciative glider pilots attending a PASCO sponsored event here in Northern California.

Cindy would be pleased to present this material to others who are interested.  A contact phone number to arrange such a presentation is 925-932-4269.

Overview

This overview and intro is by the editor.  This is a discussion of crewing for a glider pilot, and retrieving the pilot and ship after he/she has landed somewhere other than where the trailer is located.  If you fly a glider and haven't yet retrieved someone else, you are on dangerous ground if think you can instruct someone on how to do a retrieve.  Gain some experience before you need to rely on someone else to retrieve you.  This info should prove very helpful to pilots and crews who have only limited experience in crewing or in doing retrieves. Or, even if you do have experience, if you haven't crewed or done a retrieve this season, maybe you should use the checklists at the end of this discussion.  It may save you a lot of time and trouble, and more importantly, may result in a safer operation.  The discussion is arranged in the following subject areas.

• Pre-Departure - which includes:
• Before Pilot departure
• Flight Following
• Before Crew departure
• Before moving trailer

• On the Road Again....
• Creative Situation Management
• Checklist for each of these subject areas

To improve the odds of a successful (safe, and as painless as possible) retrieve, it helps to have most of these items taken care of the night before the flight and at least before the pilot launches on his/her flight.  Flight following while the pilot is flying is essential to an expedient recovery.

• Travel worthy: Make sure the truck/trailer are in good traveling shape, just as they should be for any potentially challenging road trip. Reasonable tires, wheel bearings packed sometime in the past 5 years, registration is current (on both the vehicle and trailer), registration and insurance cards are available, windshield wipers in good shape, working lights, extra fuses, full gas tank, recent oil change, fire extinguisher, etc. The pilot should brief you on any quirks of the vehicle or trailer, e.g. the white button on the steering column releases the key, etc.
• Radio: Review radio operation, pilot's call sign / N number, preferred channels and procedures for switching channels (request and confirmation followed by switching), and the pilots intentions (or not) to radio to crew on a regular basis (each hour, each turn point, or only just before landing). Charge the batteries.
• Itinerary: Ask the pilot to brief you on his/her intended route and alternate airports/landing spots along the route. This can save a lot of valuable radio time and potential confusion. Having the route marked on the maps (aeronautical and road) will make radio chatter a lot more intelligible.
• Position Reports:  The pilot should clearly state how often he/she intends to provide progress reports, and what the format of such reports will be. Reaffirm the intended frequency that you - the ground station, should monitor.
• Flight Following:  Having the itinerary is never sufficient, because the glider pilot will rarely fly directly from one fix to another.  He/she will follow the lines of lift, thus you need to keep track of where the pilot is generally located.  Keep a notepad - enter the time, location, altitude and direction the pilot is headed.  If you haven't heard from your pilot in over one hour, than attempt contact once each 30 minutes.  If you haven't heard from your pilot in over three hours, then it is reasonable to request a relay from some other pilot who is in the air.  Discuss the emergency search procedures which appear to be available at that launch site with the pilot before he/she is in the air.  Agree on some basic points, some examples of which might be:
• if no position reports have been received for over five hours, and it is within one hour of  sunset, then search efforts will begin with a radio search, followed by telephone search, followed by some deployment of search parties at no later than sunset.
• Trailer will remain at the launch site.
• All search parties will check in with the central location at appointed times.
• etc.
• Phones: Make 2 lists (one for the pilot and one for the crew) of retrieve numbers, useful car phone numbers, originating glider port number, terminating glider port numbers, etc. A telephone credit card and PIN number are useful if long distance calls are a possibility. Both pilot and crew should have change for local calls. Discuss Check-in procedures with other interested parties, e.g. Retrieve Desk, Retrieve coordinators.
• Cash: If it isn't offered, ask for gas money or a credit card you can use. Credit cards in another person's name are of no use.
• Keys: Make sure you know where the keys will be located. It’s best if there is one set of keys for the pilot and a second set for the crew. Confirm that the all keys work on the rig.
• Ready-to-Go: The vehicle and trailer should be packed, closed, hooked-up and ready to go before the pilot leaves. Ideally, the crew needs only to collect the tail dolly, weak link and canopy covers before taking off.
• Safety: Driver safety takes precedence over monetary considerations. This is particularly important to remember for women traveling alone. Review procedures for secure stopping locations, getting help (window help placard, CA AAA card?), roadside safety, emergency procedures, etc. Consider taking a "Road Safety" course.

• Speed limit for rigs with trailers is still 55 MPH. Must (?) stay out of far left lane.
• My trailer does track well behind the truck. But, the back end does swing wide, so watch it when leaving a parking space or when turning away from obstacles. Like a semi-truck, the trailer does cut on the inside of a turn, so leave extra room between yourself and obstacles inside of the turning radius.
• Braking will take longer, especially when going down hill. "Down hill" includes coming off of many overpasses.
• Use mirrors periodically to check for tire pressure, wobbling wheels, tail fin angle and confirm that the trailer is still there.
• Use the back of the vertical fin to understand where the end of the rig is for merging into traffic, passing, backing up and parking.
• Don’t let the trailer oscillate. Keep one eye on the rear view mirror. If you begin to see the trailer oscillate: DO NOT STOMP ON THE BRAKES TO STOP THE OSCILLATION. Do not try to correct with the steering wheel. Gently ease off of the gas and let the rig slow down. If you must brake (e.g. going down hill), do so gently. Trailers are most prone to oscillate:
• If over steered. Keep a steady hand on the wheel.
• At high speeds. Each vehicle/trailer combination has it’s own limit. Mine must stay under 60 MPH on good flat road. Slower in less ideal conditions.
• Going down hill, especially if the trailer is relatively heavy compared to the truck. E.g. Heavy motor home and light trailer won’t have much problem with this. My light truck, even with a light glider, does have problems. Slow the truck down to 50 or absolute max of 55 when going down long mountain grades.
• Aggressive braking, sudden stops. (I think this is what causes jack knifes).
• On rough roads, particularly washboards.
• On wet roads - Hydroplaning.
• When empty.
• When a trailer tire blows out.
• Trailers act like heavy weather vanes. It is easiest going straight into a wind. Consistent cross winds require adjustment, but once you find the right pressure point on the steering wheel, this is also OK. In either case, remember that the head wind component becomes a cross wind when you turn a corner or go around the curve.
• Gusty cross winds require the frequent adjustment. Slow down and watch even more carefully for oscillations. Try to make adjustments smoothly, sudden moves may induce oscillations.
• Pull over if the winds are too severe. Often the wind dies down fairly quickly.
• Anticipate things that simulate gusty cross winds:
• Passing semi's.
• Passing cars traveling at high speeds.
• Going over an overpass or bridge. It can be windy at the top.
• Passing out of a protective stand of trees into a windy area.
• Dust devils.
• Wind tunnels like the Altamont pass. Whirling wind mills are a "heads up" sign!
• It takes longer to accelerate and pull through an intersection.
• Watch out for deep curbs and dips. To avoid scraping the trailer or getting "hung-up", try to take them at an angle or find a way around them.
• Please be gentle and slow on rough roads, speed bumps or over railroad tracks. Try to ease over bumps at an angle if possible.
• Pull over to allow passing traffic if possible on two lane roads.
• Make note of convenient truck stops, gas stations, turn around areas, safe overnight parking spots, etc.

What do I do if.......

• The wiring connections are misaligned between the vehicle and the trailer? (Ken says there is an adapter that can be purchased/made.)
• The tail lights die?
• The only place for gas/phone/rest room has a motorcycle gang hanging out at the door and I’m by myself with a terribly discrete, unobtrusive, non-attention getting 25 foot white trailer with a shark fin at the back?
• I can’t get the rig into the small space at the gas station?
• I get caught on a dead end, on a hill, with 6 foot deep ditches on each side?
• I have an accident? Which insurance companies need to be called?
• People ask what it is?
• I can’t find the plane?
• Crew will make radio calls when in the vicinity of the glider
• Pilot should conserve battery so that radio calls during retrieve are possible
• I find the plane but no pilot?
• Crew will or will not remain at the plane for one hour before departing?
• I find the town but can’t find the airport?
• If the land owner threatens to have me arrested?
• The land owner has a gun?
• The gate is locked?
• It starts to snow?
• I forget the all important thing-a-ma-jig?
• There are no car/truck keys?
• I’ve never driven a motor home?
• The rig looks like it hasn’t been driven in 10 years?
• I get a flat tire?

• Parking spot?
• Gas station?
• Pump?
• Hotel?
• Restaurant?

• Truck Stops
• As many as you can.
• Truck Stops.
• Pull over.
• Truck Stops.
• Improvise.
• Call the sheriff.
• Refuse.
• Go home.
• Bring your own.
• Take your own car and bring the pilot (not the plane) back to the trailer.
• The one with the most exit room when the back end of the trailer swings wide.
• Disconnect the trailer and leave it at the side of the road.
• Unhook the trailer, turn it around, and rehook the trailer. Empty trailers are a lot lighter than full trailers.
• Under the night light at the airport.
• Talk to your imaginary traveling companion.
• Pull through parking.
• Lightly ride the brake, while continuing forward, until the traffic from behind passes.
• Call for assistance.
• Get a new pilot.




---

Checklists




Before Pilot departure:	Before Crew departure:
Travel-worthy	Pilot location / Reach number
Radio	Maps
Itinerary	Radio / Phones / Retrieve Numbers
Phones	Trailer rigging tools
Cash	7 Dollies
Keys	Glider assembly tools
Ready-to-go	Wing Stand
Safety


 

Before moving trailer:	On the Road Again....
Gassed	Speeding
Packed	Tracking
Connected	Checking
Cleared	Oscillating (Don’t)
Secured	Anticipating (Winds, Distances)
Confirmed	Navigating (Bumps, Parking Lots)


 

Creative Situation Management:

What if....

Where is....

How do I....

When do I...


 

---


 

Some typical one-liners on this subject of Crewing and Retrieves
 

Pilot should have prepared vehicle and trailer for retrieve, if the crew was
not fully briefed before takeoff.

Crew driver safety takes precedence over any monetary considerations.

Crew driver should not drive a vehicle he/she is not comfortable with, or
tow a trailer that appears to be unsafe.

Before beginning a retrieve, preflight the tow vehicle and the trailer
separately.

It is best to refuel the tow vehicle before the trailer is attached to it.

It is best to review with another person that all necessary supplies, including
wing stands and tail dollies are in the trailer before beginning a ground
retrieve.

After the trailer is attached to the tow vehicle, it should be driven only a
few feet and then reinspected, to insure that all supports are stowed, and no
parts were left behind.

Crew driver must be able to disconnect the trailer while alone in the event
that it must be abandoned on the road.

If a pilot requests a ground retrieve, but there is no one qualified to tow the
trailer to him/her, then consideration should be given to providing air taxi
service, or send a vehicle to transport the pilot and allow him/her to arrange
for the retrieve of the glider.

Before leaving the field, the crew driver should have a telephone contact in
common with the pilot in the event they are not able to join up.

---

If you have any other tips, or inputs regarding this page, send email to:

pjkelly @community.net

Link to Soaring Tips

Link to Soaring Index Page

Thanks for Visiting