News & Specials

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ORANGE Conversion Rulers

3/7/08

Rhonda

The new ORANGE conversion rulers with the corrected time conversion chart have arrived!

We are mailing out the replacements today. Please discard the YELLOW rulers and replace them with the ORANGE rulers.

Presentation at SSA Convention

2/20/08

Russell

The Power Point slides from Russell's presentation at the 2008 SSA Convention, "The Three Essentials of Good Judgment: What's Going On? What Should I Do? Do I Really Have To?", are now available in the Downloads section of the website.

Error on YELLOW Conversion Ruler

2/19/08

Rhonda

If you have the YELLOW Conversion Ruler from available from www.GLIDERBOOKS.com and at the SSA Convention in Albuquerque, please accept our apologies that the time conversion chart is incorrect. We are in the process of having new ORANGE conversion rulers printed. Please send us your name, mailing address, and how many rulers you have to rhonda@gliderbooks.com and we will send you replacements. They should be available in a couple of weeks. 

We are very sorry for the inconvenience!

3rd Printing of FTMFG & GPHAK

8/14/07

Russell

We have sold out of our second printing of the Glider Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (GPHAK) the Flight Training Manual for Gliders (FTMFG) and are stocking up with our third printing.

Below is a list of changes between the 2nd and 3rd printing.

FTMFG

Lesson 1.2

• Expanded explanation of the different places the wheel brake control could be located.

Lesson 1.6

• Added the following sentence:
  While you are performing the positive control check, also verify that the control surfaces are moving in the proper direction.

Lesson 2.1

• Moved “check for free control movement” to the “Ready for Takeoff” part of the pre-take off checklist.

Lesson 2.3

• Modified text to include both tail and nose dragger sailplanes in explanation of take off procedures.

Lesson 2.5

• Added information on the effects of tow hook location.

Lesson 3.1

• Added a paragraph on how to maintain position on tow using visual cues from the tow plane instead of the horizon.

Lesson 3.7

• Added the option of breaking the rope in case of a dual release failure, which is explained in detail in a new section in Chapter 8.

Lesson 5.2

• Added the following paragraph:
  The actual distances will be determined based on experience, the type of glider, and the existing wind, slope, and altitude at the airport.  A headwind will decrease the distance between the stop, touchdown, and aim points, as will an up-slope on the runway.  High elevations, a tailwind, or a down-slope on the runway will require greater distances between the points.

Lesson 6.1

• Changed “Once you descend to a height of approximately 50 feet, you should start your flare.” To “As you approach the ground you should start your flare.”

Lesson 8.6

• Added entire lesson on how to deal with a Simultaneous Release Failure.  Shifted following Lessons.

GPHAK

Section 1.2

• Removed paragraph on Minimum Equipment List. 

Russell teaching X-C for Tropic Bird Soaring

6/14/07

Rhonda

Russell Holtz, author of the Glider Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and the Flight Training Manual for Gliders will be doing one-on-one cross-country instruction in the Tropic Bird Duo Discus this summer at Minden. See Tropic Bird Soaring for more information.

2nd Printing of GPHAK and FTMFG

3/27/07

Rhonda

We sold out of our first printing of both the Glider Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (GPHAK) and the Flight Training Manual for Gliders (FTMFG) and the second round of printing is complete. We are now restocked and ready to fill orders!

Below is a list of things that changed between the 1st and 2nd printing.

Changes to GPHAK

Progress Record

1. Marked sections required for transition pilots.

Section 6.11

• Replaced Figure 6.55

• Replaced the two paragraphs following Figure 6.55 with the following:

Notice that with altitude, the wave is amplified as the wind speed increases, and dies off quickly as the wind speed drops.  Often, the wave will “lean” into the wind, with the area of best lift on top of, or even in front of the mountain ridge.

In general, the wave will decay as it travels further downwind.  However, it is not unusual for a wave to survive for 10 or 20 oscillations.

Section 7.3

• Changed the ceiling from 5,000 feet to 3,000 feet in 4^th paragraph on page 154.

Section 9.3

• Added the following sentence to the subsection of Private Pilot Limitations:

 A private pilot can carry a passenger in exchange for a charitable donation ([61.113(d)].

• Added the following paragraph:

If you are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs you must inform the Civil Aviation Security Division of the FAA within 60 days [61.15(e)].

Section 9.5

• Added the following paragraph:

If you are involved in an accident or incident for which notification must be given, you must preserve, to the extent possible, any aircraft wreckage.  You should not move the wreckage except to remove persons injured or trapped, to protect the wreckage from further damage, or to protect the public from injury [830.10].

Section 11.2

• Added the following paragraph to the subsection on Class C Airspace:

Class C airspace areas have a procedural “Outer Area”.  Normally this area is 20 NM from the primary Class C airspace airport.  This outer area is not charted.

Section 11.5

• Modified the subsection on Military Training Routes (MTR) as read as follows:

Military training routes are developed to allow the military to conduct low-altitude training, at speeds exceeding 250 knots.  They are designated on sectional charts as either IFR (IR) or VFR (VR) routes.

The routes above 1,500 feet AGL are developed to be flown, to the maximum extent possible, under IFR. The routes at 1,500 feet AGL and below are generally developed to be flown under VFR.

Section 16.2

• Corrected typo on page 300.  Changed “If you not have a clear and well thought out set of values…..” to “if you do not have a clear and ….”

Changes to FTMFG

Lesson 1.3

• On page 9, changed “… and the maneuvering speed is indicated by the top of the green arc…” to  “… and the maximum structural cruising speed is indicated by the top of the green arc…”.

Lesson 4.2

• Added the following sentences:

Keep in mind that haze, smoke or anything that decreases visibility will cause both traffic and terrain to appear to be more distant.

When you are in straight flight, any aircraft that is on a collision course with you will appear stationary in your field of vision.  There will be no apparent relative motion between you and the other aircraft.

Lesson 4.10

• Replaced the first paragraph of the Procedure section with the following two paragraphs:

Because stalls can involve a significant loss of altitude, you should clear the area around and below you for traffic before practicing stalls.  Perform a clearing turn of at least 270° before stalling the glider.  During your clearing turn, use a bank angle of at least 45° so that you have a clear view below the glider.  A steeper turn also takes less time, decreasing the chance that an aircraft will fly into an area you have already cleared.

You should be at an altitude that will allow you to recover no lower than 1,500 feet above the ground.

Updated Wave Description for GPHAK

2/24/07

Russell

Polly Ridgeway, a CFI at Sky Sailing in Warner Springs brought up an issue with the description of wave given in Figure 6.55 on page 134 of the Glider Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. We have updated the figure and associated text. The new page can found on the downloads page of the website or in the files section of the forum. We will be sending everyone who has already purchased the book a sticker to place over the figure and text on this page.

FORUM

2/24/07

Rhonda

We have started an online forum for CFI-Gs, students, and any other interested parties to discuss issues relating to the textbooks and associated material from www.GliderBooks.com. It is our hope that feedback from active CFI-Gs and students will allow us to continuously improve our products. Anyone can view the forum, but you have to be a member to post. Go to http://groups.google.com/group/gliderbooks_Forum to join or to just view the discussions.

WORKBOOKS HAVE ARRIVED!

2/13/07

Rhonda

The workbooks are here! The set of 2 workbooks is only $12.50. Order yours today. They are a great addition to your training program.

TEST PREP

2/1/07

Russell

To help you study for the FAA Aeronautical Knowledge Test (i.e. the “written test”), we have developed an FAA Written Test Question Index.  At test preparation websites, such as www.exams4pilots.org, you can practice taking the FAA written test.  This index shows you where in the Glider Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge or the Flight Training Manual for Gliders you can find the information to correctly answer the questions. You can access this file from the Downloads section of the website.

WORKBOOKS COMING SOON

2/1/07

Russell

By mid-February we should have our new workbooks available. There will be two workbooks, one for use with the Glider Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and the other for use with the Flight Training Manual for Gliders. Both books consist of a combination of original questions written specifically for the workbooks, and questions taken from the FAA Airman Knowledge Test Question bank. A student who can correctly answer the questions in these workbooks should have no problem passing the FAA written test.