Pilot Guidelines

 

1) Requirements for Full Flying Membership:

a) Applicants must hold at least a valid US FAA Private Glider license.

b) Applicants must fly at least 5 flights with a HVSC approved CFIG.  Two flights must be with the HSVC Chief Club Instructor.

c) Prior to considering any application for full membership, the Board must have received an appraisal of skills and recommendation from the Chief Club Instructor.

d) The HVSC Board will then recommend admittance to the membership during a scheduled meeting.

e) If at any time during the first year of membership a new member is observed violating FAR's or HVSC Operating Rules, it will be the responsibility of the Chief Club Instructor to report that violation to the Board. The board will then consider possible suspension or dismissal from HVSC.

 

2) Check Rides:

a) If a pilot has not flown 3 flights as PIC of a glider within the past 90 days, he must take a check ride with an instructor or approved check pilot.

b) Standard biennial/annual check flight must be flown in a glider.

c) Members must be briefed by an instructor and read the flight manual of any aircraft type they have not previously flown before flying the aircraft.

 

3) Ridge Flying:

a) Unless authorized, no pilot shall fly HVSC gliders below 2000' AGL Blairstown when flying over the Blairstown ridge.

b) Unless authorized, pilots flying HVSC gliders shall stay in the local Blairstown area. That is between the boundaries of the Water Gap and Catfish Pond.

c) Logbook entries must show a minimum of 4 hours dual instruction with a designated ridge pilot or instructor.

d) During instruction, the Water Gap must be crossed at least 1 round trip. 

e) Must have completed the SSA Bronze Badge requirements.

f) Before flying below 2000' on the ridge, the pilot must show the HVSC Chief Instructor that he has met the above requirements.

g) The pilot must stay in the local area until he has logged at least 6 solo flights totaling 10 hours on the ridge.

 

4) Cross Country:

A cross-country flight is any flight where the aircraft is beyond straight gliding distance from its point of departure. Before a pilot can attempt to fly a HVSC aircraft on a cross-country flight, he must:

 

a) Have completed the qualifications to fly on the ridge if he/she plans to use ridge lift for the flight.

b) Have the SSA Bronze Badge.

c) Have met the SSA Silver height and duration requirements.

d) Have shown that he has met these requirements to the HVSC Chief Instructor. The Chief Instructor will endorse his logbook authorizing cross-country flights in HVSC aircraft.

e) Review his flight intentions with a local site instructor before his/her first cross-country flight. This is to ensure good judgment is exercised and flight declaration forms have been completed correctly.

f) Newly licensed pilots who own their own gliders are strongly urged to follow these same guidelines.

 

5) Grounding of a pilot:

a) Any instructor or tow pilot has the authority to ground a pilot.

b) Any grounded pilot will not be permitted to fly until he appears before the Board of Directors at a board meeting.

 

7) Student Pilot Membership

a) Any person holding a FAA Student Pilot Certificate in gliders may apply for Student Membership with HVSC.

b) The applicant must have met all FAA requirements for solo flight.

c) He/she must have at least 10 solo flights in gliders at Somerset or Blairstown airport.

d) The applicant must be recommend to the HVSC board by the Chief Instructor.

e) A student member may only fly a HVSC SGS 1-26.

f) A student member may not fly HVSC aircraft on a cross-country flight.

g) The applicant must have completed the Wing Runners Training Course located at www.soaringsafety.org/dl/index.html

 

6) Somerset Landing Pattern Usage and Radios

a) Everyone is encouraged to fly with a radio and use it to announce your entry into the landing pattern for RW26. It is not mandatory to have a radio. But it is encouraged.

b) All landings on RW08 must be announced, upon entry, on a radio and the standard landing pattern for RW08 is to be adhered to. Radio use for RW08 is mandatory.

c) When RW26 is in use do not use RW08 if there is more then a 3kt tailwind. If you have a doubt about the wind don't use RW08.

d) When landing on RW08 the pilot is to bring the glider to a stop before the first glider parking space on the north side of the runway.

 

7) General guidelines:

a) The HVSC board will set the policy for flight duration and sign-up system regarding the order in which pilots may fly.

b) Ridge flying can be both exhilarating and extremely dangerous. Pilot's learning to ridge fly are encouraged to seek out and heed the advice of the local experts. The conditions of the day must be determined before heading out.

c) HVSC board approval is required to fly a HVSC aircraft in a contest or move it to another airport.