GLIDING FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA

 Thefailure of the pilot in command to

maintain control of his aircraft has
been cited as a recurring probable
cause in many aircraft accidents since
man first took to the air.

 Accidents that result from loss of

aircraft control typically involve
multiple contributing factors, the most
notable of which is pilot proficiency.
 Proficiency, by definition, is "the
ability to do something to a required
standard with a high degree of skill". 
 Encompasses a wide range of
required knowledge and skills,
including:-
 the ability to operate the aircraft in a
precise and co-ordinated manner;
 an understanding of the regulatory
requirements for operations in the
national airspace system; and
 a knowledge of the aircraft and its
related systems.
 Pilotproficiency, therefore, relates to
the pilot's ability to perform tasks
associated with the safe conduct of a
flight with a high degree of skill.
 No person may act as pilot in command of a
glider unless that person has accomplished a
flight review in an aircraft for which the pilot is
rated within the preceding twelve calendar
months.

 No person may act as pilot in command of a

glider carrying passengers unless that person
has made at least three takeoffs and three
landings within the preceding 90 days.
A large proportion of the mind's task is
to memorise things which are seen,
heard and done.
 One always remembers best those
things that impress one most, whereas
experiences that create little
impression are soon forgotten.
 If the impression is deep, the retention
is lasting; the recollection is easy.
 Memory by retention or habit is achieved
by repeatedly seeing, hearing or doing.

 Memory by retention or habit is more

permanent and automatic than memory
through impression.

 In
other words, the old adage "practice
makes perfect" is good advice.
 Tomaintain a minimum level of
competency in a specific task, it is
important to perform the task on a
regular basis.

 Tasksmost recently performed are

best remembered.
 Proficiency,
by definition, means performing a
given task to a required standard with a high
degree of skill.

 Currencysimply refers to being up to date or

occurring within a recent period of time.

 Being
current in a particular task does not
necessarily imply proficiency at that task.
 Pilotssuffer a significant degree of cognitive
and flight skill loss within a short period of time
following the completion of structured flight
training.

 The areas of flight skill loss most affected

include critical flight operations such as
takeoffs and landings, stall recognition and
recovery, minimum controllable airspeed, and
emergency procedures.
 Pilotsare seldom accurate in
assessing their own level of
proficiency in a given task.
 The annual flight review required by
GFA may not be sufficiently frequent
for relatively inexperienced pilots (or
experienced pilots who don’t fly
regularly) to maintain critical flight
skills.
Hours per Launches per year
year 30 50
Your currency is good but take care.
Watch particularly for bad
25 40
approaches, sloppy cockpit checks
and lack of preparedness for launch
20 30 emergencies.
You are not as good as you think you
15 20 are! Be very careful, especially in
difficult weather conditions

10 10
You are rusty! Your training condition
5 5 is
unsatisfactory. Seek advice and
preferably have a check flight before
0 0 flying.
 Every pilot needs to maintain a high
degree of proficiency in critical flight
skills.

 Training is the foundation of

proficiency. Unless each pilot
continues to participate in a regular
recurrent training program, critical
flying skills erode very quickly.
 Being current simply means that a pilot has
complied with the regulations and is legal to
exercise the privileges of his or her glider
certificate.
 Proficiency, on the other hand, describes a pilot
who conducts each flight with competence of a
professional or, in other words, a high degree of
skill.
 Proficiency also means making the commitment
to put safety above all other considerations
every time we fly.
 Most important, however, proficiency means
much more than simply being legal to fly. It's
about being safe to fly.
A presentation by

Christopher Thorpe
Chief Flying
Instructor
Beaufort Gliding
Club