SAFA Skysailor Magazine

45 January | February 2022 SKY SAILOR When flying Stanwell and on this flight path, always stay on the upwind side of the ridge line, and always have more height than needed until you know the area better. Heading further north… #1361 – PG stalled downwind turn, NSW PIC is a PG2 and was flying under supervision at Catherine Hill Bay (NSW). They were soaring the ENE-facing bowl, and after a few soaring turns, turned right and headed downwind along the east face of launch and out of the lift band. Their ground speed increased, and the pilot was quickly losing altitude. There was a very high tide which influenced the pilot’s decision to turn downwind, rather than turn towards the beach and into wind. PIC then applied brake in an attempt to reduce airspeed, but when they made a turn away from the hill, the inside, low wing stalled and the pilot dropped from a height of 5m agl to the ground. PIC then walked back to the car park, unaware they had received a stable fracture to a tibia below the knee plateau, which was diagnosed that evening. No surgical intervention or cast immobilisation was required. No damage to equipment. Pilots must exercise extreme caution when running downwind and applying brake inputs. Groundspeed increases but not airspeed. Consequently, applying brakes may reduce airspeed dangerously close to the wing’s stall point. Applying brake to initiate a turn may then cause the wing on the braking side to stall as has occurred here. And finally… #1596 – PG sleddie, member of the public calls emergency services, NSW PIC launched from Crackneck (NSW), with the intention of taking a sleddie to the LZ. Conditions were extremely light, with almost nil wind. After launch, they encountered some pockets of light lift, which extended their flight, before they successfully landed at the LZ as intended. Unbeknown to them, a member of the public had become alarmed and called emer- gency services when the pilot did not reappear above launch as is usual for that site. Nothing further to add. That’s it for this time folks. Fly safe.