SAFA Skysailor Magazine

47 SPRING 2026 | September-October-November SKY SAILOR isfactory, the pilot may need a check flight or even a flight review. Does their gear look well maintained and fit for purpose for flight operations at the site? Do they know when their reserve parachute was last repacked, and by whom? Site briefings and flight plans Be prepared to provide a site briefing and discuss with them a flight plan. The briefing should highlight the known hazards of the site and how wind conditions will affect these if applicable. The flight plan should set the parameters of where they will and will not go and be suitable for their experience, consider the number of pilots in the air, the prevailing conditions, and the best LZ for them to use. Specify the communications protocols you will use with them during the flight. Discuss the rules of the air that are most applicable at the site and ensure the pilot clearly understands these. Make sure you get a good readback on all of the above. Launching and flight Prior to launch, it may be appropriate to have the pilot demonstrate ground handling skill commensurate with their experience, or claimed experience, and current conditions. Finally, ensure the pilot is confident and comfortable at the site in the current conditions and situation. During their flight, keep an eye on conditions and an eye on the supervised pilot. You need to be prepared to commu- nicate with them to advise them to land if conditions become unsuitable, or advise them to modify their flight path if they are straying into a potentially dangerous situation. To do this, you may also need a radio. Make sure you and the pilot have agreed on a channel or frequency and have conducted a radio check. Be careful taking on supervision for more than one pilot. It can be extremely difficult to divide your attention when you are in the air; you need to concentrate upon your own flight as well as another pilot, and adding more may dilute your effectiveness. Factors influencing supervision The level of supervision a pilot will require depends on several factors. Firstly, on the pilot: Are they fresh out of school? Do they have some hours under their belt? Are they close to leaving su- pervised status? Have they flown this site before? How attentive were they during