Safety officer

Written by Guy Corbett

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I am now the club Flying Safety Officer. The role relates to flying operations and associated ground operations carried out by Club members and does not include anything related to the club’s employment of staff. I report to the committee but the main role is to assist the CFI in relation to safety matters. Some of my predecessors have written regular articles in this newsletter but I intend to do so only when I feel there is something which needs to be drawn to everyone’s attention.

Since taking the job I have found that I notice a few things which I would probably previously have ignored. Recently I was on duty, we were short of people late in the day operating on the SW run. A K21 was parked to the South of the tower and the pilots asked me to help launch. We pointed the glider in the right direction but as it was not too close to the tower we decided to launch from there. I hooked the cable on and went to the wing to find that I could not see past the tower to the normal base leg to check whether it was clear. I now realise why we normally launch from in front of the tower.

Over the years our CFIs have evolved the safest way to operate. We have a standard way of laying out the field, launching and landing for each wind direction and we should not try to change this without considering all the implications.

Safety is everybody's responsibility.

Please report any incidents or accidents or any ideas which could improve safety to me by email at safetyofficer@londonglidingclub.co.uk

Please read the latest BGA accident review at https://members.gliding.co.uk/library/uncategorised/2021-safety-review/

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Written by Guy Corbett