Þegar litið er út um gluggann þessa dagana er ekki margt sem bendir til þess að sumardagurinn fyrsti sé handan við helgina en það er nú samt svo. Páskarnir nálgast óðfluga og ef ég þekki ykkur rétt eru margir sem liggja nú á bæn og vonast eftir því að þá viðri vel til flugs.
Eitthvað er það nú misjafnt hvað við höfum verið dugleg að viðra vængina síðast liðna mánuði og þeir sem hafa gert lítið af því mættu hafa neðangreint í huga.
Ekki gera ódýr mistök sem geta kostað þig fjörið í sumar og jafnvel meira.
SAFETY MATTERS SPRING CAUTION
Spring weather is already upon us. The power of the sun is increasing daily and the first thermals of the year are being felt. At this point in the season thermals are usually small, powerful and very rough. Enter the average pilot, rusty from having hibernated away most of the winter, or at the very least out of practice at thermalling. Reflexes need honing, recovery actions need polishing, anticipation of a sudden deflation or wing drop or just after take-off is low.
Ever since free flying was invented, pilots – both experienced and novice – have been finding themselves in difficulties (and often injured) at this time of year. We strongly advise that all pilots exercise great caution when deciding when, and whether, to take off. Remember that a flight later, or earlier, in the day will likely be in smoother conditions, and be less testing of your rusty reflexes and “rough-air” brain.
Nevertheless, be prepared for the results of punchy conditions, and give yourself greater margins than you think you remember needing last year. Expect the unexpected, and remember the old adage that it is much better to be standing on the ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground. Spring thermals have been the undoing of many pilots – don’t let them do for you!
Birt með góðfúslegu leyfi ritstjóra SkyWings, greinin birtist í mars tölublaði 2011, bls. 6.
