Training Syllabus- Beginner to early solo

This is the first of three sets of notes that will help you make the best use of all the club offers to support your progress from beginner to competent cross-country glider pilot: they cover your progress from beginner to early solo. The other two are:

• Solo to Bronze
• Bronze to Silver

You can also download a pdf version of these notes for printing here.
Copies are also available from the club office.

Items you will need

	a) New Members Guide	(recommended, free)
	b) Pre-solo Training Card	(essential, free)
	c) Glider Pilot Log Book	(essential, £1.50)
	d) Elementary Gliding	(recommended, £3.50)
	e) "BGA Laws and Rules for Glider Pilots"	(essential, £2.00)

All of these are available from the office.

Where to get help

• The office is open seven days per week. See or call Lynn Hepworth or Chris McDermott-Row if you need any information about club activities or administration.
  
  
• The club is supported by around 25 instructors. Most are part time volunteers. All are qualified to appropriate British Gliding Association (BGA) standards (Basic, Assistant and Full, and BGA or CAA Motor Glider Endorsements) and maintain the currency of their qualification(s) by regular refresher training as set out by the BGA. See section 15 of your copy of "Laws and Rules" for details of instructor ratings and endorsements, and the list of current York Gliding Centre Instructors displayed on the Chief Flying Instructor's (CFI) notice board.
  
  
• The Instructor team is headed by Chief Flying Instructor, Richard Kalin.

What you need to do

• Fly, learn, and ask questions. Do not hesitate to ask any instructor for information, advice or assistance.
  
  
• Before you go solo you will need to complete a self declaration medical form endorsed by your GP.(see "Laws & Rules" 14.8 page 33). It is a good idea to do this fairly early in your training. Copies of this form are available from BGA website or ask at the club office.
  
  
• Always take your log book and training card to the launch point. Your instructor will note the appropriate exercises on your training card and make a general comment in your log book after each flight. This helps you to remember what you have learnt and is a helpful reference for your next instructor.
  
  
• Instructors will not "sign off" any exercise until you are consistently competent but please remember this is not a race. Some people may learn more quickly than others but this does not necessarily mean they become better pilots than those who take a little longer. Enjoy. We do this for fun.
  
  
• Most of the time you will be flying one of the K13 basic training gliders but you can promote continuity in your training and thereby speed up your progress by using a motor glider for certain groups of exercises. This is particularly useful for exercises 2-7, 14 -19, 36-40 and 49. See any motor glider instructor for advice or book your flight at the office.
  
  
• The more frequently you fly the more progress you will make, though it is understood that not everyone can be available as much as they would like. For this reason the club offers a number of two, three or five day courses through the week during spring and summer at no extra cost to members. We also have launch and instructor facilities available most weekdays in addition to weekends. See Lynn or Chris in the office for further details.
  
  
• Once you have returned to earth (both physically and emotionally) having completed your first solo flight you will be entitled to claim your first BGA badge endorsement. This is what you should do:
  1. See Lynn, Chris or your instructor for a copy of the 'A/B' endorsement form.
  2. Ask the instructor who sent you solo to sign the declaration validating the flight.
  3. See Richard Kalin who will:
     1. check you are aware of the basic rules of the air (so read them up in your 'Laws & Rules' first), and sign the appropriate part of the form.
     2. Talk with you about what your new qualification does and does not allow you to do.
     3. Ensure you read and sign the club Flying Order Book.
• As an early solo pilot you will be asked to fly a check flight with an assistant or full instructor prior to flying solo on any one day. As you become more experienced the frequency of these flights will be reduced. See the Duty Instructor for the day.

Progress notes 2 cover:

• your post solo development training
• your conversion to single seat gliders
• your 'Bronze C' endorsement