What Happens After I Go Solo
Going solo is only the begining of really learning to fly, and is where
the fun really starts!
Each club is different however this is the system at Lasham
they use a badge system.It my be different at your club.
Post Solo Training
After solo, you are not simply abandoned to learn for yourself, when you
first go solo you are checked by an instructor each day before you fly
solo. Lasham runs a training card system, with each card giving you more
freedom with your flying.
White Card
The white card is a revision of the things you did before going solo,
just to make sure you are still safe to fly alone. Once you get this card,
you can fly solo on any white sock day without a check flight as long
as you are current.
Red Card
The red card introduces more advanced flying, with a view towards getting
your Bronze badge and Cross Country Endorsement. You will learn to handle
a glider in more difficult conditions, how to navigate in the air and
how to land in fields. Red card allows you to fly on Red Sock days without
a check flight as long as you are current.
Yellow Card
The Yellow Card polishes up your flying, and works on your cross country
technique, allowing you to fly on any day without a check flight as long
as you are current.
The Badge System
The British Gliding Association
(BGA) has a series of badges which are internationally recognised
records of achievement, most of which are for Cross Country flying and
Aerobatics
Bronze
The Bronze badge is part of your Red Card training and is a recognised
standard of profficiency, the nearest thing to a license we use. To get
this badge you need to be safe in the air and have a working knowledge
of air law, navigation and meterology. There is a simple flying test where
an instructor will asses you over a set of flights and a small multiple
choice test.
Cross Country Endorsement
The Cross Country Endorsement, in conjunction with the Bronze Badge, allow
you to go away from the airfield and fly cross country, and lead the way
to all the higher badges. To get this you need to have your Bronze, and
do a navigation exercise in the motorglider, as well as a few practise
field landings at the same time.
Silver
The Silver badge has 3 parts:
Distance: A flight of 50km from your home field.
Height: A height gain of 1000m in flight (~3300ft).
Duration: A flight of 5 hours duration.
Gold
The Gold badge has two parts:
Distance: A flight of 300km or more from your home field over a declared
course.
Height: A height gain of 3000m in flight (~10,000ft).
Diamond
The Diamond badge has 3 parts:
Goal: A flight of 300km or more over a declared triagular course.
Distance: A flight of 500km or more over a declared course.
Height: A height gain of 9000m in flight (~30,000ft).
Aerobatics
The aerobatics badge scheme takes you through all the stages of becoming
a fully fledged aerobatic pilot, as you progress through the badges, you
are taught each manouver, you practise it and when you are ready, you
can fly them yourself and take the badge test.
Standard Badge
The Standard Badge shows you are capable of flying a basic set of figures
solo whilst staying safe, these figures are:
45 Degree Diving Line
45 Degree Climbing Line
Loop
Wingover (Chandelle)
360 Errect Turn
One Turn Positive G Spin
Climing Turn
Sports Badge
The Sports Badge shows you have achieved a high level of profficiency
in basic positive G maneuvers. The additional figures are:
Humpty Bump
Quater Clover
Stall Turn
Intermediate Badge
The Intermediate Badge shows you have achieved a high level of profficiency
in advanced figures including rolling and negative G maneuvers. The additional
figures are:
360 Degree Inverted Turn
Slow Roll
Half Roll Inverted
Half Roll Errect
Cuban Eight
Half Cuban
Half Reverse Cuban
Split S
Unlimited Badge
The Unlimited Badge shows you have achieved a high level of profficiency
in all advanced figures including flicks and tail slides. To get this
badge you can be asked to fly any of the hundreds of maneuvers in the
CIVA aerobatics catalogue, and whilst nowhere near complete, these additional
maneuvers include:
360 Rolling Turn
Tailslides
Flicks
Inverted spins
Instruction
Basic Instructor Rating
This is the first rung on the instructional ladder, and allows you to
sit in the back and take people up for their first flights. BI's typically
do trial flights and the first few flights of your flying career. To become
a BI you must have reached a high standard in your personal flying, and
be recommended for the course by your Chief Flying Instructor. The course
then puts you through your paces, and teaches you how to deal with ab-initio
pupils, and some stock exercises and patter for when in the air.
The basic requirements to become a BI are:
Full Silver badge
50 hours P1 minimum
Recommendation by club CFI
BGA Approved Basic Instructor's course
CFI check flight
Assistant Category Instructor Rating
After being a BI for some time (typically a year) you can take a week
long course to move along to the next level. At this stage much more advanced
flying is taught. As-Cats can teach more or less anything from launching
to landing, and allow the pupil control for any part of the flight.
Full Category Instructor Rating
The next one up from As-Cat, and final instructor rating. With this you
can teach whatever you please, and are entitled to act as duty instructor
responsible for the whole airfield. Full Cats are very useful for advanced
check flights and training, such as instructor training.
Taken from the web site http://www.union.ic.ac.uk
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