I won't bore you with textbook mumbo-jumbo. I look at situational awareness simply as "multi-tasking the mind." It requires us to understand simultaneous and changing circumstances, and it requires us to act or react appropriately. In the case of the aerotow, it begins before the tow plane taxis into position for hook-up and ends when the tow plane has come to a complete stop. Situational awareness also requires a complete understanding of our own capabilities and limitations.
Aerotow situational awareness is an individual as well as shared responsibility between the tow pilot, glider pilot, spotter, wing runner, and the OD. Being familiar with M-ASA operational policy and procedures is an excellent foundation.
In 2002, there were many reported aerotow "incidents." The root cause was plain and simple - a lack of situational awareness. The need for proper situational awareness doesn't require that the aircraft be in motion... though that is when it bites you. Just to mention a few examples, a lack of situational awareness can be (again) manifested in a lack of understanding your own limitations and capabilities, your lack of awareness regarding the deteriorating situation of the aircraft (on either end of the towline), or your lack of awareness of other aircraft in the pattern.
Here's just a partial list of reported aerotow "incidents" during the 2002 season:
Some of these reported aerotow "incidents" involved very experienced tow pilots and glider pilots... think about it.
The goal always remains as no "incidents." No "incidents" equals no accidents. In order for that to occur, we need to be true to ourselves and exercise proper situational awareness.
Blue Skies,
Lance Nuckolls - Chief Tow Pilot ?
Hopefully by the time you read this, Carlos will have forgiven me for causing this issue of Convector to be late. [Forgiven. -Editor] After Tuesday's meeting I was beat, then it was off to the SSA Convention in Dayton. I was pleased to see so many M-ASA members at the convention. We probably had one of the better turn-outs.
The TFR around Camp David is still the number one concern on most of our minds. Those with e-mail have seen my updates. Larry Sanderson and I had an outstanding session Tuesday the 21st with the Secret Service. It laid the groundwork for a solution. I am drafting a proposed letter of agreement this week and we will work from there. My guess is they will initially balk at the size of the area we are asking for. I think, however, that we have a good story to justify it and can make our case. I hope to have a letter of agreement signed before the annual meeting.
The progress on the 2-33 continues. I still think we can make the goal of returning it to service by March. We need folks to come out and help in order to make this happen. Luckily we have had pretty good turn-outs. I have not kept close tabs on folks but I guess at least 30 members have spent some time on it. As always, a smaller group has gone the extra mile and done most of the work and that is greatly appreciated.
This coming Sunday is the annual banquet. I don't know if this issue will find its way into the mailboxes before that due to my delay. We have over 100 people signed up for this event. It should be a great time for all. [It was! -Editor]
We need to start thinking seriously about the coming season. Nominations for new directors are rapidly coming due. These need to be submitted to a club officer (Glenn Collins, Jim Trygg, Bill Whelan, and Mike Higgins) between February 7 and February 21. We have two board slots to fill this year.
The other aspect of preparing for the coming season is the mental and physical process of flying. Unlike many of the recent years, we have not been able to do much flying this winter. We will all be rusty and need to be diligent in watching out for each other. The basics matter and a return to them is a smart thing.
Last year Chuck Forrester sent me a short note highlighting some thoughts and observations. As you would expect, Chuck is right on the mark. Unfortunately I succeeded in misplacing his letter and never got it out to everyone in the Convector. This winter, while filing my 2002 instructor records, I found it among some other papers. It is a very relevant discussion, not just for tow pilots but for everyone. The message is to think about what you are doing and do it right. Thanks Chuck for the insight and I apologize for the delay.
Mar 8, 2002
The recent prop incident with the Cub prompts me to get up on my CFI soap box and offer some techniques that perhaps some pilots have not been exposed to when they transitioned to tail draggers. Because of the fuselage angle of the tail dragger, it is exposed to wind hazards that are not a factor in tri gears. The airplane is just an overgrown wind tee. It constantly wants to weathercock into the wind like a ship at anchor. In addition, the wind is trying to blow it over on its back either nose or tail first depending on the heading. The flight controls are also ground controls that, when properly displaced, can be an effective buffer to the wind.
The FAA recommends that light planes not be operated if the wind is 50% of the aircraft stall speed. I think this is an excellent guideline. M-ASA limits clearly exceed those parameters but that is a board decision within the club.
When taxiing into wind, the stick is held back. If there is a crosswind, the stick is displaced to the side from which the wind is coming. The up aileron is acted upon with a down force and the lowered one with an up force. This counteracts the cross wind which is trying to lift the upwind wing and flip the airplane over onto its back. When taxiing downwind the reverse is true; stick is forward but away from the crosswind. The wind acts on the lowered aileron to help hold the wing down. In this case, the wind attempts to lift the upwind wing and the tail and blow the aircraft on its nose and back. When landing downwind and the tail is down, the stick is displaced forward when the speed becomes less than stall speed. This transition is to a downwind taxi. You don't want to present a raised elevator to a tailwind. If the wind is down the runway when you do your 180 to get the next glider, stick to the left if you turn right and to the right if you turn left. This is just a very short downwind taxi but it is treated just as any downwind operation. Remember, you must always displace the controls so as to keep the upwind wing and the tail firmly down if the wind is strong enough to be a factor.
--- Chuck Forrester
Thanks everyone for the help on the 2-33 and the patience while we work the TFR issue. The annual meeting will be in the Frederick Community College hangar on March 14. I hope to see everyone there. The 2003 season should be a good one. The Board is working hard at an updated Operations manual which we will discuss and hand out. Some of the changes include some modified procedures to increase glider utilization and encourage cross-country flying.
Glenn
Although I am the only person regularly credited with its production, M-ASA's Convector is a group effort. Without the regular contributors, my job would be much harder. Sarah Macpherson's Task Report, Ray Watson's Duty Schedule, Manfred Beutgen's Membership Roster and monthly mailing lists, Hope Howard's Membership Notes, and Glenn Collins' President's Notes come in each month steady as clockwork. The Convector has two (up to this time, uncredited) assistant editors. Marly van de Ven is the official proofreader. I am humbled each month when I learn a new English grammar rule from her careful edits. Former Convector editor Bill Whelan bails me out when I get into a pinch (which has been, unfortunately, an embarrassingly common occurrence). I thank you for your help, folks.
The true spirit of the Convector is the steady stream of unsolicited contributions from the membership at large. Without them, I doubt that there would be a newsletter of the quality that we have today. One of the most enjoyable aspects of my job is when, out of nowhere, I receive a wonderful first-person account worthy of "cover story" status.
I have some brief comments for would-be authors. The Convector is always looking for original publishable content. High resolution JPG images are specially welcome. If you would enjoy reading a certain type of story in the Convector, chances are that other members will enjoy that type of story also. For ideas, look at past issues. I'm always happy to do what I can to help you get your story published. For example, if all you have is a concept and would like some early feedback, I'd be happy to help. It makes my job easier if you leave out all formatting and put a single space between sentences. Also, if you send me an e-mail and I fail to acknowledge it, it means that I never received it. Please resend or give me a call.
Advertisements are normally run for two consecutive issues. I do my best to accommodate requests for longer runs. Please let me know when you no longer need the ad.
How do you like the new Convector logo? A telephone call that I received from our printing shop sums up the typical reaction the best: "It looks really weird. It's all kind of wrinkled up. Can I get rid of it and use the old one instead?" I countered with: "Actually, it is supposed to look wrinkled." To which they replied: "In that case, it looks great!"
The new logo is a play on the word "convector", meaning heated air in movement (i.e., a thermal). It is supposed to look wrinkled. It is also still a work in progress. The image of the logo was created from a full-blown 3D object. It was not created with a "paint" program. I've received several offers of assistance, but unless you have experience using high-end 3D graphics packages, I doubt that you will be able to help me make it look better. Using this technology opens the door to several future possibilities, such as an animated logo on our website.
"We have a website?" you might ask. For several years now we have had a web presence at www.m-asa.org. Our able webmaster is Alan Meyer. The full text of the Convector is archived there going back all the way to 1995. An effort is underway to put online even older issues of Convector. In recent months, we have been making available Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format) versions also. These PDF files take about a minute to download over a dial-up connection (200 kilobytes) and retain all of the formatting and graphics of the printed newsletter.
Every month, a few extra copies of the Convector are printed. If you failed to receive your copy, or would like to send one to a potential new member, let me know and I'll be happy to put one in the mail.
Did you know that it costs M-ASA about $4,000 a year to reproduce and mail the Convector? "Yikes! I had no idea it was that much!" is the typical reply. Discussions are under way to explore creative ways to cut down on that expense. Please let the Board know of any ideas that you may have on this or any other club-related topic.
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Do you have a high resolution soaring-related computer image that you could share with us? C'mon folks, I know that many of us have digital cameras! Vern, what do you do with all of those great pictures that you take? Please send them to convector@m-asa.org |
Using email and the World Wide Web, M-ASA has new opportunities to take advantage of electronic publishing to save money and effort in the production of the Convector newsletter and the membership roster - both of which are now printed on paper and mailed by "snail mail" to members.
In this article, I'd like to share my thoughts about the opportunities that online publishing provides to our club. In expressing these thoughts, I am expressing my own opinions only and not speaking for anyone else. Others may or may not agree.
In case anyone hasn't seen it, the Convector is already available online as well as on paper. Tom Judkins began the website and the web Convector edition some years ago. To see it, go to the M-ASA website (www.m-asa.org) and click the link to the current Convector or the Convector Archive, or for direct links:
Current Convector:
(HTML format)
(PDF format)
For previous issues back to 1995:
www.m-asa.org/convarch.htm
Direct costs for publishing the paper Convector and roster were around $4,000 last year for commercial printing, mailing, and postage. For 177 members, this works out to about $22.60 per member, per year. (We actually print more than 177 copies since some are sent to non-members and to other clubs, or set aside for losses or spoilage.)
None of these costs pertain to the online version, which is currently hosted at no cost to the club through the good offices of Russell Braen, who provides a server for our website. However, even if the club had to pay for web hosting, the costs would be far below the costs for printing and mailing.
If the Convector and roster were published online as the exclusive format, it would save all of the cost, and also save a considerable amount of effort, including:
Some functionality might also be improved, including:
If we continued to publish the Convector on paper, but only for those people who were unable or unwilling to receive it electronically, we could not save the full cost, save any of the labor, or realize all the benefits, but we would still save some money compared to the current system. How much we would save would depend on the size of the fixed printing setup charges, and the number of copies printed and mailed.
The obvious method of electronic publishing would be for us to put the Convector and the roster up on our website. In fact, we have already done this for the Convector and an effort is now underway, led by Chuck Tellechea, to produce a password controlled online roster system. It will also be possible for us to notify all members by email when a new Convector is available online, so people need not remember to check for one each month.
Members with access to the web but who prefer printed copies could, of course, print out the Convector and the roster from the online version - though for many members this will be less convenient than receiving a printed copy in the mailbox.
Members without access to the web would also need some way to get information. If the numbers are small, we could simply print pages directly from the web and mail them, or leave some in the clubhouse to be picked up. If the numbers are large, then we would probably have to continue a formal publishing program, but might not need to print nearly so many copies.
I would like to ask all members to consider the benefits of electronic publishing, read some Convector issues online at the website, and be prepared to discuss the future of electronic publishing for the Convector and roster. Perhaps we can discuss the issues at the annual meeting and see a show of hands on answers to such questions as:
Personally, I have become accustomed to reading lots of material online and am content to read the Convector that way. I dislike the fact that I can't carry an online newsletter to the bathroom or the kitchen table, but there are compensations. I don't amass paper that has to be discarded or recycled. I always know where the Convector is (I have our website bookmarked in my browser) and don't have to remember where I left the paper copy. I have the complete archive available at any time without having to save old issues. I like the thought of not cutting trees to distribute ephemeral information. And if it turned out that it saves money to get the information electronically, that would certainly tip the scales for me.
However, I earn my living with a computer and like being around them. Others may not feel the same way I do. It may be that too many of us need or want the information on paper to discontinue paper publishing. But I believe we would be missing a potential opportunity if we didn't at least consider moving towards electronic distribution.
Let's consider it.
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SOARING ASSOCIATION Board of Directors:
Officers:
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New: FOR SALE: 1990 Wilderness 24' Travel Trailer with prime location at Fairfield (2nd spot from hangar in north row). First $5,000 or best offer by June 1. We have moved to warm and sunny PA and no longer need the camper. Contact Bob Jackson at (717) 642-9886. WANTED: I have a tenant here that has an enclosed 1-26 Association type trailer that she wants to swap for an open trailer fitted for a 1-26. The trailer is kept inside and can be inspected at any time at my field in Lovettsville, VA. If you are interested in a swap, please contact me, Jan Scott, at flycow@flycow.com Repeat: FOR SALE: LS-6a, about 950 hrs TT, NDH, hangared with covers on all its life. Peschges VP3 competition, Sage vario, Dittel radio with gooseneck mike, Komet trailer also kept under roof. $42,000. Call Mario Piccagli at (301) 565-9057 |
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The by-laws specify that nominations may be made in person at the February club meeting, or by mail (e-mail) within a week of that meeting. That means this year mail-in nominations may be made between Friday, February 7 and Friday February 21 or at the February 14 meeting. No supporting statement is necessary but prior permission must be obtained from the nominee.
By-laws also specify that nominations must be made to an officer, defined as President (Glenn Collins), Vice President (Jim Trygg), Secretary (Bill Whelan), and Treasurer (Mike Higgins). Secretary is preferred simply because he is the one who will prepare and send out the ballots, to all full members. We will elect two directors, ballots to be counted at the March annual meeting.
Directors whose terms are expiring are Preston Burch and Jean Posbic. They may run for re-election if they choose to. Directors whose terms continue are Gary Baker, Glenn Collins, and Jim Trygg.
Provisional members are not eligible to run for office, nor to vote.
New Members
| Frederick | Fairfield | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | Operations Director |
Tow Pilot | Assistant OD |
Operations Director |
Tow Pilot | Assistant OD |
| 15 | Jack Goehring III | John Lovell | Teresa Day | Chris O'Callaghan | Chuck Forrester | |
| 16 | Urs Thierstein | William Judge | Elliott Blitz | Jim Trygg | ||
| 22 | Maurice Deland | John Hearn | Guy Pfeffermann | David Pixton | ||
| 23 | Ralph Wentzel | Tom Judkins | Tom Jones | Mike Grinder | ||
| 29 | Clark Carlisle | Scott Petrasek | Jim Homer | Don Robb | ||
| 30 | David A Churchill | Jane Robens | Robert Critchlow | Dee Torgerson | ||
M-ASA Duty Notes: Members assigned to operations duty must be on site in enough time to start operations by 10:00 AM and stay at the field until operations are concluded. Each person listed on the duty roster is responsible for that day's assignment. In the case of "no-shows," the person acting as OD should indicate this fact on the flight sheet. "No-shows" will be fined $100.00. M-ASA's training process requires all new members to serve as Apprentice OD (AOD) at both M-ASA operating locations. This is to familiarize new members with the operating practices at each field. Any member who joined the previous year and who was not scheduled for AOD duty at each field, will be scheduled for AOD duty at each field in the current year. Note that AOD scheduling is done independently of duty preference information submitted on the member's duty preference form. After the AOD cycles have been completed every effort will be made to accommodate the new member's stated duty preference whenever possible. M-ASA Scheduler: Ray Watson (410) 484-0333.