Introduction

Published June 7, 2024Updated October 6, 2024

There have been too many glider accidents at Harris Hill. This unfortunately includes student pilots and veteran instructors. Long-time local pilots and seasoned contest pilots have experienced that ultimate bad day, too. Remembering the many mishaps and the many ugly landings seen at Harris Hill, it is clear that certain fundamental principles are necessary for success here.

It is also clear that the training at other glider operations, training in airplanes, and even the FAA’s own publications on glider flying are lacking at times when it comes to flying gliders at Harris Hill. If that can be said, surely one must wonder if many sailplane pilots are not prepared to land at other small fields, especially a small farm field.

What knowledge, skills, attitudes enable a pilot to make consistently good landings at a small airport like Harris Hill? This booklet is specific to Harris Hill and will address skills needed in similar precise landing situations. The targeted audience includes student pilots, Harris Hill flyers who could use a review of the basics, and visiting pilots who want to be successful flying from the Hill.

This booklet is not specific to anyone glider type; nor is it a complete glider flying handbook. The pilot needs to have stick and rudder skills to fully control the aircraft in addition to the content covered here. Some topics like round-out and flare, though redundant to other glider flying texts, are covered here because problems with these skills can be exacerbated by the environment at our airport.

Traffic pattern altitudes are labeled as AGL, or above ground level, for simplicity. This means height above the landing surface rather than absolute altitude as the terrain slopes away in all directions at Harris Hill.

Each of the following principles will be covered with the highest priority first.

  1. Arrival height
  2. Stabilized final approach to a well selected landing zone
  3. Active base leg where altitude and ground track are adjusted as needed
  4. The approach wedge
  5. Downwind leg and awareness of lift and sink
  6. Flexible entry leg
  7. Low energy touchdown
  8. Valley landing options including but not limited to the Aux Field

Other topics included that are important to flying safely at Harris Hill.

  1. The dreaded waterfall effect and other wind considerations at Harris Hill
  2. Uphill landings
  3. Downwind landing technique.
  4. Two pilots on final glide
  5. Selecting the landing direction