lt;p class=quot;MsoNormalquot; style=quot;margin: 0cm 0cm 10ptquot;gt;lt;span lang=quot;EN-USquot;gt;lt;font size=quot;3quot; face=quot;Calibriquot;gt;I am referring of course to accidents which occurred as a direct result of (a) not checking the glider before takeoff and (b) not checking the harness before takeoff. Let us start with the first cause - that of not checking the glider.lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160; lt;/spangt;The reason that this check is carried out is to determine if the glider has been assembled properly and if it is damaged in any way.lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160; lt;/spangt;The sort of things that we are looking for are: torn sail, worn sail attachment straps, dents or gouges in tubes, bent tubes, kinked wires, thimbles wrapped round tangs, sail pinching on saddles, bolts loose, safety pins missing, incorrect wire tensions, battens not correctly in sail, etc.lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160;amp;#160; lt;/spangt;Take care to ensure that all bolts show threads past the nut and that ny-lock nuts are not recycled. lt;/fontgt;lt;/spangt;lt;/pgt;lt;p class=quot;MsoNormalquot; style=quot;margin: 0cm 0cm 10ptquot;gt;lt;span lang=quot;EN-USquot;gt;lt;font size=quot;3quot; face=quot;Calibriquot;gt;It is recommended, indeed mandatory, that you have another pilot check your glider before takeoff. I suggest that it is best to set up a routine for pre-flight checks similar to that described below in order to try and ensure that no stupid mistakes are made.lt;br /gt;Start at the nose of the glider and run your hand down one leading edge to the cross tube, checking for: dents, scratches and tears in the sail and batten pockets. lt;br /gt;Check leading edge bolts, tangs, wires and ensure sail is clear of saddles. Run hand along leading edge to wingtip, checking as before and then ensure the sail attachment is OK. Run hand along trailing edge to keel, checking for loose threads, proper fixing of battens and tension of the sail. Check rear of keel sail attachment, center batten, tangs, wires and bolts. lt;br /gt;Carry out the same procedure running along the other trailing edge and up the leading edge to arrive again at the nose. lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160;lt;/spangt;Check nose plate bolts, tangs, wires and sail attachment. lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160;lt;/spangt;Sight along keel and check reflex. Visually inspect the kingpost and ensure the wires are clear. lt;br /gt;Move to the crossbar and run your hands along its complete length, checking for damage. Yes- even if this means climbing inside the sail if you suspect damage (do the leading edge while you are in there). lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160;lt;/spangt;Check that wire tensions are even on both sides (on level ground) Deflexors as well if yours has them. Move to the quot;Aquot; frame and check the heart bolts and top A frame bolts.lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160; lt;/spangt;Inspect both down tubes for damage and for quot;work hardenedquot; metal from restraightened tubes. Check both bolts at the bottom of the A frame and ensure the wires are securely attached and not tangled. Run handkerchief along flying wires to test for any kinks or broken strands. If there is anything you are not happy about, make sure the pilot knows about it. Inspect the Harness straps for wear and tear and that the knots are tight and secure. Check the Parachute Bridle for wear and then ensure the chute is securely contained and that the safety pins are in place. Inspect the Hang straps for wear and the height the pilot hangs off the bar. lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160;lt;/spangt;Ensure their legs are inside the leg straps and that the harness lines are not tangled. Tell the pilot your conclusion lt;br /gt;As for the frequency that these checks should be carried out, the answer is: After first rigging up. After any hard landings, crashes, alterations or even laying the glider on the ground. lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160;lt;/spangt;Always before a soaring flight because that is of greater duration (usually) than glidinglt;br /gt;Now then, having completed that, having a sound glider with you does nothing if you forget to hook up.lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160; lt;/spangt;There are several things you may not be aware of: It is difficult to hold onto an A frame if taken by surprise A glider dives at about 45o if you fly hanging from the A frame. If you donrsquo;t pull yourself into the A frame within 30 seconds, you never will. You canrsquo;t hang by your hands for more than about 1.5 minutes anyway. So letrsquo;s get another routine going which you as pilot always go through before takeoff: Move the glider to the takeoff site. Hook up and lie in your harness (if prone) and ask your nose launcher to see if all lines and straps are clear and check the carabiner is properly locked shut. Check your helmet Stand up and look left and right - just a quick visual check of the glider. Ask your launcher to ascertain and tell you what other gliders are around and what they are doing - nothing is worse than to takeoff in the path of another glider. Confirm with your nose launcher what your takeoff procedure will be - ascertain which way he intends to duck, tell him what you are going to say - and be explicit - quot;Ready, Go:quot; or quot;One two three, goquot; but TELL HIM.lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160; lt;/spangt;The nose launcher is doing you a favor, he has no glider to stop him falling down the cliff - itrsquo;s only fair to keep him in the picture - TELL HIM.lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160; lt;/spangt;And when you say Go!, Go for heavenrsquo;s sake.lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160; lt;/spangt;Donrsquo;t wait around for winter to fall.lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160; lt;/spangt;If you donrsquo;t need a wire launch you donrsquo;t need one from the start. As a last point, donrsquo;t forget to check out the launch site thoroughly and (hopefully) you will also know something of the landing area. After all, we hope to minimize danger.lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160; lt;/spangt;Everybody respects the safety conscious pilot - that should be you. And donrsquo;t forget, if it doesnrsquo;t feel right, donrsquo;t fly, therersquo;ll be other times. lt;br /gt;(Once you have rigged and inspected your own glider seek out someone else in the same position. This way two gliders can have their second pre-flight check at the same time - an added advantage is that the pilot doesnrsquo;t stamp around impatiently waiting for you to finish. lt;br /gt;some of the more sophisticated super gliders it would pay to have someone familiar with the machine to do the second pre-flight check.lt;span style=quot;mso-spacerun: yesquot;gt;amp;#160; lt;/spangt;Otherwise the would be checker suffers from visual overkill inspecting all the wires, tubes, tangs, bolts, etc. which festoon these machines. Inspection efficiency is reduced and some vital fault could be missed. lt;/fontgt;lt;/spangt;lt;/pgt;lt;pgt;lt;/pgt;



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