Training Process for the P1-P4 and beyond Ideas for new instructors; also applicable to pilots of all skill levels. Ideas, concepts, seeds to plant in our fledgling students head. Give the new pilot the idea that he has committed to a long-term relationship with paragliding. The only way that one can expect to continue safely within the sport is to develop a firm understanding of the basics and to continually practice. New pilots have to know what to expect up front. It is also the job of instructors to help guide them while allowing them to make their own decisions. We can help by giving them solid parameters with which to analyze the internal and external factors affecting flight. Instill in new pilots the need to create checklists, which are appropriate for each situation. Require students to get into the habit of not only logging their flight time but also logging their glider; UV exposure, maintenance records of any repairs, changes, etc. This makes it easier to get a good resale value when they upgrade, but it also makes them aware of when they need an inspection, reserve repack, etc. One of the primary jobs of the instructor is to engineer the training environment so that the student can remain comfortable and relaxed. Remember every participant in this sport has to overcome an exaggerated sense of fear and ego in the beginning. Reminding a pilot several times a day to relax, breath, and enjoy playing with the wing is essential, Students often rush to learn and as a result they end up creating bad habits. Ultimately they are learning for the joy of flight... don t take that away from them during those initial days when they are struggling. Stress and anxiety will also reduce the amount of information they can absorb and increases the amount of time it takes them to react and learn new skills. You the instructor must remember: 1. You are responsible for the life and well being of your students... for the rest of their flying career. Your name is always printed on their certification, even when they are instructors. 2. Consider the fact that most accidents are caused by bad decision making, lack of proper flight planning, simple mistakes and overlooks, failure to notice changes in environment, overconfidence, etc. These are all basic building blocks of paragliding that you are responsible for conveying before the P2 is achieved, 3. Most accidents happen to pilots after 2 years of flight, which means they will be long out of your school. Unfortunately, the majority of accidents occur as a result of missing a fundamental that the instructor may have missed during the initial teaching period. 4. Pilots don't have bad attitudes in the beginning. It is a learned response, based on cowboy mentality of many involved in the paragliding community, "You have to be a cowboy to participate in something so unpredictable and dangerous." You can insure that this never happens by how you approach your student on the first day of lessons:
a. Create an environment that fosters learning, strives for excellence, places emphasis on the experience, progresses along a clearly defined path, and you will watch your students blossom into exceptional pilots. b. Your students will realize this and continue to support your business! c. Value the trust they place in you and be responsible with it. 5. The nature of the sport rewards bad habits so you shouldn't. How many pilots have you witnessed just "make" it off launch. It could have been a potential disaster if they hadn't; but by virtue of the fact that they did, they are rewarded with a nice long flight. Will the pilot really sit down and objectively analyze his mistakes at launch after a successful flight, or will his operating parameters just widen increases his potential for bigger mistakes in the future? 6. For tandem pilots, "You'd better be able to perform just as well, if not better on your tandem, as compared to your solo." The only difference should be that you exhibit better judgment flying tandem. 7. Lead by example. Students and other pilots look up to you and maybe try to mimic your example. 8. You don't need to have an answer for every question from a student, but you should be responsible for finding one. 9. "Safe Progressions!" 10. You want your students to be constantly improving their skills and increasing their knowledge, because then flying becomes more comfortable and natural in the air. This means you will get more airtime, which is just awesome and a lot more fun. 11. SHOULDN'T WE TRY TO BECOME 100% COMFORTABLE IN EVERY ASPECT OF FLIGHT? This of course takes years of practice and you may never attain perfection. When you don't have to work so hard at flying you can enjoy the environment and surroundings more. When your skills improve; things like landings become more of a game, turbulence becomes predictable, and the only thing that scares you in big air is running out of film on the camera. 12. Unfortunately, there are bad students, and some people that just don t belong in the sport. Maybe they have something to prove to the world, perhaps they just don t listen, constantly pushing the limits, etc. It's worst when they have nothing to loose. Do yourself and your association a favor by not allowing them to become participants. Fundamental Blocks of Learning: 1. Checklists demonstrate a conscientious effort to be safe. a. Checklists are reproducible and insure a high level of safety if the pilots are methodical about their use. b. Preflight safety check of pilot, conditions, and equipment. c. Checklist for safety inspection of glider and layout. 2. Ground handling -the goal is mastery of the canopy on the ground, which will equates to the same in the air; forward inflations, reverse inflations, kiting, etc. Identifying wind direction at every stage of the game. Have your students constantly demonstrating canopy control. Launch simulations that emphasize the basics of good launch technique and good habit creation are a great way to do this. 3. Use weight shift and body control to manipulate your cg.
4. Brake application to regulate pitch and practice surge control. 5. Smooth acceleration with even strides. Torrey Pines Gliderport First Flights communication on the radio should be kept to a minimum. Many instructors tend to over-communicate with the pilot. Establish a radio vocabulary with the students well before flight so miscommunication potential can be reduced. Launching and landing perfection! Keep the flights simple and short. 1. Launch transition from ground, to air, to being seated in the harness is an area of weakness for many pilots. a. The last 50' of the landing approach is critical particularly flair timing. b. Before the flair; posture, harness exit, canopy control while suspended, and pilot point of focus should be considered. 2. Students should pay extra attention to the factors including; a. Wind velocity and direction. b. Wing files very well in the standing position in their harness or sitting. The student has control in each flight configuration. c. Simple turns which focus pilots on the surrounding environment (look, lean, then pull brake) help the student relax and be safe. d. Stay relaxed and aware during the launching and landing practice. Turn Efficiency This is about circles... paragliding is simple. 1. Turn in lift vs. sink. 2. Turn coordination so roll and yaw are smooth. 3. Turn coordination to separating the control axis of pitch, roll, and yaw. Landing Techniques Introduce landing as the critical component of the flight. Ultimately flying should be taught on the assumption the pilot may be required to land anywhere at anytime. A few things to practice that will support this assumption; 1. Spot landings extend or shorten glide path. 2. Side hill landing techniques. 3. Light down wind landings. 4. LZ inspection and strategy. 5. Landing approaches (aircraft, s-turns, 8 s, box) Canopy Awareness Understanding where the canopy is at all times and how it affects flight. This is sometimes referred to as active piloting or feeling the wing. 1. Being able to predict the canopies movement. 2. Understanding the affect the pilot may have based on his position relative to the wing.
Surge control For safety and pleasant flights. 1. Utilization of pitch, roll, and yaw for precision in launch, turns, landing, thermals, soaring, etc. 2. Where is the canopy in relation to the wind, turbulence, lift, sink, etc.? Parameters and Operating Limitations Establish operating parameters and limitations for your students at every level of their instruction. Develop a method of checks so that you can continually test their progress and pilots have an objective system of self-evaluation. (Example: You will only be able to have your first flight, when you have successfully simulated 5 consecutive launches; with little or no canopy oscillation, premature lift off, or wing deflations. Won't it be nice to have such tremendous control of the wing that you instinctually know how to correct it without looking at the wing or pondering what needs to be done? That s the kind of precision you want to develop. Your muscle memory will control the glider so you can focus on other tasks like enjoying your first flight? That s why we want to develop complete mastery of this technique, while we're on the grass.) Pilots will have more incentive to practice the basics (fundamentals) on their own if they have clearly defined goals and methods for tracking their progress. They will also get into the habit of focusing on one skill set at a time, before progressing to the next... they make safe progressions.
Torrey Pines Gliderport P-3 Intermediate Skills and Operating Parameters in addition to those defined by USHGA: Intermediate pilots should seek to attain mastery of several techniques that were just introduced in basic training and continue to expand their set of tools. P-3 Theory Requirements: 1. Advanced understanding of meteorology. This includes interpretation of weather data from official sources. a. Hopefully your students will begin to develop weather instinct based on keen observational awareness. 2. Identify and demonstrate where areas of lift, sink, turbulence, venturi, compression, etc. are based on observing the local weather at launch and the topographical features of the area. 3. Learn about FAA requirements (sectionals, airspace, protocol, etc.) 4. Successfully analyze and plan flights from five different sites. Determine how the flying conditions will change based on the weather for the day, terrain features, etc. 5. Acquire 3 special skill sign offs by attending special clinics. (Way for you instructors to make extra money and teach specific skills.) 6. Risk management and self-assessment 100% of the time. 7. Determine appropriate speed to fly, wind drift, in flight correction of plan, etc. 8. Learn the extended use of electronics including radio, vario, GPS, airspeed indicator, radio, etc. 9. Test the observational skills of the P3 pilot continuously. P-3 Testing and Limitations: 1. Pilot never launches when dust devils are present at launch. 2. Pilot doesn't launch when lapse rate is extreme or if temp and/or pressure differential is above? 3. When it comes to launch attempts the general rule should be three strikes and you're out. P-3 Skill Set and Required Demonstrations: 1. Circle around a cone on landing approach without loosing excessive altitude. 2. Top landing. 3. When top landing come in shallow but land deep. a. Figure 8 turns behind a line (flight path is perpendicular to the line) without crossing over the line. b. Figure 8 turns going parallel (flight path is parallel to the line) crossing to each side at an even distance. c. Cross wind take offs and landings (only when site and conditions are safe to do so) that are safe, into the wind, and no surging off launch. 4. Turns: a. Tighten turns without altitude loss. b. Flat turning and different methods to achieve a flat turn. c. Flat turns with lots of altitude loss vs. flat level turns. d. Slow and flat vs. fast and flat. e. Banked turning and different methods to achieve bank.
f. Banked turns with lots of altitude loss vs. banked turns without major altitude loss. g. Slow and banked vs. fast and banked. h. Change bank angle mid turn. i. Crab glider side to side with 0 forward movement... just hovering and crabbing. 5. Maneuvers: a. Asymmetric spiral. b. B-Iine stall and smooth recovery without surge, parachutage, or spin. Achieve sink rate of 1200fpm or more. c. Big ears and all its variations. Attain a sink rate of 800fpm or more. 6. Bad landings: a. Contingency plan for avoidance of dangerous obstructions may result in bad landings. b. Practice how to fall or crash, gymnasts do, why not us. i. PLF -fall under reserve, pretty straight down. ii. Slide falling with a high rate of rotation or horizontal speed vs. high descent rate. iii. Safely stop in the air full stall wing close to ground with torso forward of chest strap to land on your feet not your back. c. Contingency plan for emergencies. i. Medical kits. ii. Phone or radio usage. iii. Rescue kits. iv. Survival gear. v. Do you have a detailed plan of action if something goes wrong? 7. Good landings: a. Expand techniques by trying different landing approach methods and landing techniques. i. Controlling a round out (two step flair) while descending through the wind gradient. ii. iii. Controlled landing downwind. Begin practicing methods of increasing speed on landing approach (for strong conditions): 1. Swoop landing 2. Slip landings 3. Banking a turn on landing
P-4 Advanced Skills and Operating Parameters in addition to those defined by USHGA: Advanced pilots must display absolute mastery of their wings. The advanced pilot is looked up to and may be mentored by many less experienced pilots. They carry a responsibility to display consistency in their performance on the ground, in the air and by the decisions they make. They should focus on precision flying techniques and learning new techniques. P-4 Theory Requirements: 1. Where is the turbulence? How can you safely fly through it? Can you safely fly through it? Identify the factors which will create areas of turbulence, venture, lift, sink, etc. then go fly it to find out. 2. Spot potential problems at launch and during the landing approach. 3. Instruct and assist as ground crew for launching pilots. 4. Instruct and launch with a ground assist. 5. Possible first aid and/or CPR card. 6. Judge glide on wind strength, horizon referencing, and visual angles. P-4 Skills and Self Assessment: 1. Never miss a spot. 2. Never blow a launch. 3. Never blow a landing. 4. Site awareness and assessment in addition to understanding and interpreting the weather data provided by weather services. a. The power of observation and the attention paid to details are just as important in assessing the days flying conditions. b. Taking into consideration details like birds and dust devils is more helpful than most blip maps. c. Use gust rates to calculate thermal strength, diameter, and duration might. d. Differentiating between thermal cycles & base wind. e. Temp differential on ground, in the air, at launch, and the LZ. 5. Understand how different weather conditions and prediction may influence the flight plan. a. Flying in pre-frontal vs. post-frontal, warm vs. cold front, high pressure vs. low pressure. b. Humidity and what it does to our flight. c. What does altitude density really do for us? d. Winds aloft do they support your flight plan? 6. Perfect canopy control, to the point that the pilot can stand the wing on its tip while still kiting. 7. Launch with several twists in the risers and remain calm. Untwist the risers while airborne. 8. Simulate (hard landing) crash techniques and contingency plans. 9. Proficient in at least 3 different inflation and kiting techniques and at least an additional 5 variations. Same for deflation and canopy disabling techniques. 10. Don't progress past asymmetric spirals until you can exit them without oscillation or use the surge out to climb back up.
11. Don't progress past wing over until you can perform 100 of them perfectly without any deflation. Safe Progressions! 12. If you can't prevent the deflations or recover immediately then you probably shouldn't be flying in the conditions... land immediately. 13. Perfect 360's around a point in a wide variety of conditions. Perfect 360's include: a. Demonstrate consecutive 360's while maintain equal radius from a cone on all sides of the turn in both directions. b. Consecutive 360's in each direction while maintaining a constant descent rate... now vary the descent rate. c. Consecutive 360's in each direction while maintaining an even bank angle, steep and shallow. Now try to vary the bank angle without increasing the altitude loss, or try without changing your turn radius or roll rate. d. Consecutive 360's inside of a box. e. Make a circle or box over a fixed point without ever turning down wind (crabbing 360 degrees). f. Try all of the above with figure 8s. Demonstrate Maneuvers: 1. Asymmetric deflations over 50%. Now try them fully accelerated. If you can't do them smoothly, don't progress past this stage. 2. Frontal deflation and frontal deflation at full speed. 3. B stall 4. Speed bar usage to control pitch and surge. 5. Fly around with 50% of the wing deflated without tendency to spin or spiral 6. Use the speed bar as another control surface: a. Use speed bar to help turn the wing or slow the turn. b. Practice and perfect surge control with the speed bar. c. Convert upward moving energy from spiral or wing over exit to horizontal speed and stop the surging at the same time. d. Use A's to control the wing and accelerate. 7. Can you fly the wing when it's a twisted mess? a. Stay relaxed your flying and safe! b. Fly the wing with minor ailments to practice for malfunctions (note only practice in extremely safe conditions). i. Can you fly with the wing wound up with multiple riser twists? ii. Can you fly upside down with your feet behind the risers? iii. Can you do forward and backward somersaults in the air? 8. Have you mastered landings? a. Swoops, sideslips, banked turning, round outs, ground stalls, traditional flair, etc.? b. Can you dive the glider straight down then skim the ground for 20'. c. Can you use pitch control to step (shorten) your final glide to the spot, instead of pumping the brakes? d. Can you use pendulum control for the swoop landing? e. Can you even distinguish between the two?
P-4 Expectations: 1. Should be able to fly in any but the most demanding conditions. 2. Flown at least 10 different sites, over 150 hours of airtime, in a variety of conditions (logged). 3. Kite in strong and gusty conditions; kite in strong gusty conditions on stomach, on back, sitting on butt and still control the canopy. Be able to get up and sit down with ease. 4. Kite forward and reverse with no brake application using only your body to control the wing. Kite with one brake in one hand, or both in one hand. 5. Equipment and gear inspection from a distance. Advanced pilots may often be the most experienced guys on the local hill. For that reason less experienced pilots may look to the P-4 s for guidance, specifically on equipment issues. 6. If the P-4 knows how to attach a speed bar, replace a reserve handle (not repack, just inspect), adjust a harness for somebody, notice when the lines are wrapped or tangled during launch, etc. He will be a great asset to his flying community and those less experienced pilots around him. 7. Manage the wings energy and constantly be practicing. a. Practice circles and every variation of a circle. Try not to fly straight, use the angular momentum and centrifugal forces that develop to your advantage! By Gabriel Jebb gabriel@flytorrey.com