Wednesday 29 January 2014

Attitudes

Judith Mole provides a great podcast on Safety - human factors, simulation, training, mindset, and the need for candid discussion/examination of issues regarding it.

Part of the discussion brings up the idea of the 'snuff list' - an informal list of pilots who are likely going to hurt/kill themselves that is shared word of mouth. Invariably this list gets around and often draws the attention of the list-ees themselves. 

The outcome of this attention can vary depending on the attitude of the pilot with respect to safety. Two cases from my personal experience:

There was one particular recent graduate that demonstrated an above average aptitude for the sport of skydiving and was quickly racking up jump numbers. Come the halfway point into the season, they noticed fewer and fewer folk available to jump with them. When they commented on this to our group, one of the more seasoned jumpers pulled them aside and explained the situation -> the jumper had gained a reputation for being reckless and was becoming known as 'bounce bait'. No one wanted to jump with them for fear of getting hurt (or killed). 

Fast forward to more recent years. It was getting late in the flying season and the days were becoming stable. Anyone out before early afternoon would only find sled runs -> which was perfect for me as I needed the quick turn around of top to bottom to get the flight numbers up for a rating upgrade planned in the new year. These conditions were also ideal for new pilots, still getting comfortable with their wings in calm conditions. After one such sled run, I was packed up in the LZ awaiting a ride back up when I see a wing snapping off relatively moderate wing overs just above the tree height. I recognize the low experience pilot based on the wing make and give a 'you gotta be kidding me' look to a pilot nearby. An exasperated shrug is the reply. Upon landing I approach the pilot and make an uncharacteristically tactful (as opposed my typical Sheldon Cooper/INTJ-esque, "that was stupid and here is why..") comment regarding the wisdom of low wing overs. The nearby pilot in the LZ also expresses his concern. 

As for the jumper: The candid discussion struck a chord with the jumper and brought about a rather quick change in attitude -> the seasoned jumper invited them to begin working with our group to help get them squared away (we had a motto of 'If you are new and too dangerous to jump with others - come talk to us'). By the end of the season they turned out to be a rather skilled and safe skydiver. 

As for the pilot: Our concerns were brushed off. A year later…. 

I gave up jumping because, in part, I got tired of attending memorial services and having to fill out witness statements for coroner/sheriff investigations. I once commented to a fellow PG pilot, if my experience jumping is any indication, in time you will come to pick your friends based on the likelihood of them still being alive next year. A persons attitude regarding safety is a huge factor in that decision.

Thursday 9 January 2014

Amateur Radio License made easy (in Canada)

Radio - pretty much paramount to the safety of the paragliding pilot.

Whether used to acquire up to date landing conditions, unfolding weather further along an XC route, or relaying information in assisting a downed pilot - radio is a must.

Radio Options


There are multiple radio options available to Canadian Paragliding pilots, including:
  1. FRS
  2. GMRS
  3. HAM/Amateur Radio
FRS - Family Radio Service
  • unlicensed. 
  • Ultra High Frequency (UHF). 
  • 0.5 watt. 
  • 1 mile realistic range.*
  • Typically used by students/new flyers.
GMRS - General Mobile Radio Service
  • unlicensed (Canada).
  • Ultra High Frequency (UHF).
  • 2.0 watt (Canada).
  • 2 miles realistic range.*
  • Recent addition to Canada, not yet commonly in use. Mistaken assumption that 5 watt US GMRS radios are approved.
HAM/Amateur Radio
  • Licensed (handled by Industry Canada), no renewal requirement.
  • Very High Frequency (VHF)/ High Frequency (HF) with endorsement.
  • 250 watt/1000 watt (Basic/Advanced) - 5.0 watt typical for handheld.
  • 5 miles realistic range with handheld.*
  • Essential part of XC pilot's flying kit.
* A major limiting factor for radio range is the degree of obstruction. A radio situated on the top of a mountain will have a longer effective range than one situated within a downtown core.

Unlicensed, a pilot is limited to two watts of power to be able to call for assistance, arrange a retrieve, get LZ conditions from launch, etc. With an Amateur Radio license, this restriction is lifted.* Most paraglider pilots want (if not need) the ability to make contact across some rather large distances - the fewer restrictions, the better.

* License, power, frequency restrictions do no apply in the event of a distress call - the understanding is that the protection of life supersedes regulation.

An Amateur Radio License in Three Easy Study Steps.


Industry Canada (IC) wants everyone who uses Amateur Radio to be licensed. With the exception of writing the test for the prospective licensee, IC makes it as simple as possible:

  1. Learn Ohm's Law. Understand how it applies in series and parallel circuits.
  2. Learn the relation of frequency and wavelength to the speed of light.
  3. Download the Test Generator from IC. This is the program the examiner will use to generate your test. The Generator pulls a random selection of questions from the test bank and allows you to try your hand. Do this repeatedly for two weeks until you can recite the answer for any given question in your sleep. Then print a few sample exams off and try those (to get used to the printed form factor over the computer screen version).
These three steps are what I used to get ready for my exam, resulting in a grade of 98%. I would not be surprised if the same happens for you.