| Free-flyers are exposed to a variety of risks, coming | | | | Gear |
| from different aspects of the environment. By | | | | Good old body armour. Anything you can put between |
| identifying where the greatest risk for the day lies, you | | | | you and the ground reduces your risk here. Defend |
| can make an effort to take precautions by increasing | | | | yourself with a full-face helmet, boots with ankle |
| your safety margins in each of the other aspects. The | | | | support, thick foam in the harness (especially at the |
| idea is to reduce the number of risk elements that can | | | | base of the spine). Reserve parachutes are a very |
| reach you at one time. | | | | good idea, but they do not reduce your risk just by |
| Firstly divide the risks into six classes: Weather, Wing, | | | | buying them. You must learn how to use them, and |
| Site, Gear, Ability, Knowledge. Try to achieve a | | | | check your system regularly. Keeping in touch with |
| 'green-light' state in each area. The more 'red light' | | | | others via radio and cellphone means you can benefit |
| warnings are lit, the more cautious you should be within | | | | from shared knowledge and team rescues. Finally, a |
| the other risk classes. When too many elements are | | | | GPS is a useful tool for XC flying, giving you a |
| impacting the pilot, an accident is inevitable - a | | | | constant update on your speed over the ground, which |
| complete failure of risk management. You can usually | | | | reduces your risk of being blown over a ridge in wind |
| handle one risk at a time, but when two or three | | | | you didn't recognize. |
| threats compete, things get hectic. | | | | Ability |
| Weather | | | | Some pilots are naturals, others must learn the hard |
| No matter your level of experience, this is the most | | | | way. Unfortunately, it is human nature to think we are |
| important risk to manage. Watch the weather | | | | in the first group until we stuff it up. There's an easy |
| forecast, it gives you an idea of what to expect. If the | | | | way around this pitfall. Even if you think you're great, |
| weather is significantly different to the prediction, the | | | | follow in the footsteps of the hard-learner (you can |
| risk is high, because it is changeable. Put up a | | | | just do it better ;-). Aerobatics are best begun in a |
| windsock on the hill. If it's ranging from left to right, the | | | | maneuvers clinic, but thereafter you can build your |
| wind is variable, which increases the risk of turbulence. | | | | ability by practice, practice, practice - up high. The |
| If the wind is gusting the risk of turbulence is again | | | | awareness and sensitivity you build up with your wing |
| higher. The straighter the wind is onto the hill, the higher | | | | is invaluable. Take your glider to a field and work on |
| the risk is of an increase in speed because you'll be | | | | your groundhandling. Professional launching does |
| pushed over the ridge sooner than if it was aslant. But | | | | wonders for risk management. The higher your overall |
| if the wind is skewed to one side, the risk of turbulence | | | | risk profile is, the further away from the ground or |
| increases. Lastly, the wind strength is vital - the | | | | compression zones you need to be. When you're new |
| stronger it is, the fewer other risks you can tolerate, | | | | to the sport, your ability to recognize danger is limited, |
| because things go wrong really fast in strong wind. It's | | | | so you only notice that you're in trouble when things |
| the most common cause of accidents in our sport. | | | | are very bad, so you should be out in front of the |
| Wing | | | | ridge, in a safer zone than the experienced |
| Until you have attended a manoeuvers clinic and you | | | | ridge-huggers. |
| are familiar with the limits of your current glider, you're | | | | Knowledge |
| flying with a higher glider-risk than you need to. Try to | | | | Experience is built from airtime, so if you're not a local |
| choose a wing you will be happy on all the time, not | | | | at the site you've chosen to fly, know that your risk is |
| only in the smooth conditions. Although manufacturers | | | | high. On the blown-out days, seek out whatever |
| like to advertise their glider's top speed, maximum | | | | theory you can. Many good books have been written |
| useable speed is lower and deteriorates with the | | | | on flying, the weather, and first aid. There are websites |
| presence of turbulence, especially on high-performance | | | | on flying, email forums, and even the war-stories in the |
| models. A daily equipment inspection and bi-annual | | | | flyer's pub contain a grain of useful truth. XC courses, |
| factory check will help to keep your 'wing' risk in the | | | | SIV courses and competitions round off the picture. |
| green. | | | | The more involved you become, the more your |
| Site | | | | growing knowledge helps to reduce your risk. |
| Imagine all five of your other risk classes 'red-lining' for | | | | Putting It All Together |
| a moment. You have a cold and a hangover, and you | | | | You've bought a new glider, one class up from the one |
| have borrowed an old competition glider for the first | | | | you're used to. So your WING segment is red-lining |
| time. It only has an old canvas harness. You have no | | | | (new glider + upgrade). What can you do to reduce |
| shoes or helmet. You don't know what weather was | | | | your risk? Choose your elements carefully - go to the |
| predicted, but someone mentioned strange conditions. | | | | safest SITE you can for the day, be less tolerant of |
| The wind is strong, gusty, and crossed on launch. The | | | | risky WEATHER than usual, pretend that you have |
| hair standing up on the back of your neck yet? Good, | | | | less ABILITY than you know you have and fly |
| now look at the new site before you, and all its nasties | | | | accordingly, seek out as much KNOWLEDGE as you |
| will jump up at you clearly. Consider yourself flying only | | | | can about the wing, its DHV rating, and the site you're |
| half the wing, badly, and being thrown around | | | | flying, put some extra GEAR between you and the |
| unpredictably. Rough, rocky terrain increases the risk of | | | | ground. |
| turbulence, and limits your emergency landing areas. | | | | It's all about making sure you have enough other 'green |
| Small landing fields with critical approaches raise the | | | | lights' on your panel at all times, so you've got that |
| risk again. If there are no visible wind indicators (lakes, | | | | margin of safety. |
| fires, airborne gliders) the site risk is again even higher. | | | | |