View source for Some notes from the CGC Bronze course

This page started with the notes [[User:TW466]] took at the 2019 CGC Bronze Theory course. They are not the syllabus or a textbook; if you want to take the exam, read ''Bronze and Beyond''<ref>[http://www.mccullagh.biz/ John McCullagh, ''Bronze & Beyond'']</ref> or attend the course.

Feel free to edit this page with any improvements or additions.

= Introduction =

== Requirements ==

* &gt; 50 solos or 20 solos + 10h including solo flying
* flying test + oral test
* written exam
* tests within 24 months

=== Written exam ===

* 10 sections
* 12 questions each
* pass mark 75% / section

== X/C endorsement ==

; Requirements
: soaring flights of 1h and 2h (one each), supervised

== See also ==

* BGA &quot;Laws and Rules&quot;<ref>[https://members.gliding.co.uk/laws-rules/ BGA Laws &amp; Rules]</ref>
* CAA &quot;Skyway Code&quot;<ref>[https://www.caa.co.uk/General-aviation/Safety-information/The-Skyway-Code/ The Skyway Code]</ref>

= Communications =

; See also
: &quot;Bronze Confuser&quot; on CGC website – not necessarily correct!

== Radio licence ==

# physical radio licensed by OfCom (previously CAA)
#* also covers handheld backup used in cockpit
#* different licence for ground stations
# FRTOL (Flight RadioTelephony Operator's Licence)
#; required to communicate with
#: ATC, FIS, A/G
#; ''not'' required to communicate with
#:* other aircraft
#:* gliding-specific channels
#:* emergency channel
#:* operating ground stations (except ATC, A/G)

== Range ==

* signal ≈ line-of-sight

{| class="wikitable"
! Height
! Range
|-
| 1000 ft
| 33 nm
|-
| 2000 ft
| 75 nm
|}

Generally, \[
\frac{\text{horizon distance}}{\text{nm}} \approx \sqrt{\frac{\text{altitude}}{\text{ft}}}
\]

== Phraseology ==

<ul>
<li>standard: CAP413 Radiotelephony Manual</li>
<li><p>at gliding sites, make traffic calls, e.g.</p>
<pre class="example">GRL Traffic
Glider ___
Downwind R/H
Rwy 04
GRL
Gear Fixed  (ref:gearfixed)
</pre>
The ''&quot;Gear Fixed&quot;'' call is GRL-specific.</li>
<li><p>use &quot;hundred&quot; and &quot;thousand&quot; for altitudes only (except QNH 1000!)</p></li></ul>

=== Call signs ===

; gliders
: prefix &quot;Glider&quot;
; ''gliding'' airfields
: suffix &quot;Base&quot;
;* e.g. &quot;Gransden Lodge Base&quot; – '''not''' &quot;Radio&quot;
; vehicles
: suffix &quot;Mobile&quot;
;* e.g. car towing glider DM is &quot;DM Mobile&quot;

== Gliding channels ==

* 8.33 kHz channels are '''not''' frequencies
** documents saying e.g. &quot;129.9 ''MHz''&quot; are frequencies, '''not''' channels
* gliding-specific channels do not require a FRTOL (table [[#tab:gliding-channels|1]])

{| class="wikitable"
! Channel
! Use
|-
| 129.905
| ground retrieval, shared with other air sports
|-
| 129.980
| situational awareness; (Common Glider Field Frequency<ref>control within 10 nm &amp; 3000 ft of specific airfields</ref>)
|-
| 130.105
| situational awareness; competition start/finish
|-
| 130.130
| cross-country training; competition start/finish
|-
| 130.405
| cloud flying; other situational awareness
|-
| 131.280
| CGC own frequency (not on map, but is on frequency reference card)
|-
| 135.480
| [[#SafetyCom|2.8]] (not gliding-specific)
|}

=== 130.405 (cloud flying) annoucements ===

; on entering cloud
: call sign, altitude (QNH), position
; inside cloud
: altitude at 500 ft intervals
; on leaving cloud
: clear of cloud

== Mayday ==

Re-tune to 121.5 if time (London Centre / Distress and Diversion, telephone: 01489 612691).

=== Mayday relay ===

* note all Mayday details when heard
* retransmit on 121.5
* maintain radio silence

== ATSUs ==

; ATZ transit
: &quot;request zone transit&quot;
; landing
: &quot;request join&quot;

== Cambridge Letter of Agreement ==

* within 4–5 nm + extra sectors
* position reports '''required'''

== SafetyCom (135.480) <span id="SafetyCom"></span> ==

* within 10 nm and 2000 ft of &quot;unattended&quot; airfields
* callsign e.g. &quot;Borton Traffic&quot;

== Signal square and light signals ==

* see Skyway Code
* light signals in slides
* international standard (Chicago Convention)

= Human Factors and Performance =

{| class="wikitable"
|+ IMSAFE checklist
| I
| Illness
|-
| M
| Medication (e.g. antihistamines sedate!)
|-
| S
| Stress
|-
| A
| Alcohol / drugs
|-
| F
| Fatigue, flying currency
|-
| E
| Eating (target: 50g/h carbs)
|}

== Physiology ==

* effective scanning: organised, short, regular spacing
* by default: eyes focus at 1–2m
* no flying with a cold – damage to eardrums/sinuses
* cloud flying: trust instruments over senses/body signals
** in a turn, inner-ear semicircular canals &quot;reset&quot;, it seems straight and level after a while even though it isn't
* motion sickness: mismatch between visual signals and signals from semicircular canals
* <math display="inline">\approx \frac{1}{200}</math> people overly sensitive to negative G (babies especially)
** babies learn eventually and get used to it, but very sensitive early on
** people go head back, stick forward to back and lock up – dangerous!

== Respiration, oxygen and altitude ==

* hyperventilation: too little CO<sub>2</sub>!
** light-headed, reduced consciousness
** confused with hypoxia – similar symptoms
** technically, excess oxygen
* oxygen makes &quot;dismantling&quot; glucose for energy efficient
** aerobic respiration – oxygen as final e<sup>–</sup> acceptor
* blood oxygen: ≥ 90% of haemoglobin with oxygen is healthy
** at 8000m: expect ≈ 60%
* oxygen OK until ≈ 10000 ft, hypoxia above
** hard to recognise – look at pressure gauge etc
** pulse oximeter?
* BGA mountain guide: use O<sub>2</sub> by 3800m / 12000 ft
** generally: set D5 (5000 ft floor)
** exam: above 10000 ft, use oxygen
* CO<sub>2</sub>: occupies haemoglobin, 5× more likely than oxygen
** undetectable except with specific detector
* nitrogen insoluble in blood, only soluble by overpressure
** get &quot;the bends&quot; from rapid decompression, e.g. in wave flying
** rare, but happens

== Alcohol ==

* metabolise 1 unit/h
* small amount: wait 8h before flying

== Dehydration ==

* insidious, also on cool days
* on cold days, blood goes into central core of body, making it seem like there's too much fluid ⇒ drink more than seemingly needed!

= Air Law =

* UK law ≈ EU law ≈ ICAO framework
* EASA regulation through manufacturers for G-reg aircraft
** exceptions: old BGA system (&quot;Annex II / Annex I aircraft&quot;)
* SERA: ''Standard European Rules of the Air''
** variations in the UK, e.g. class D airspace VMC minima<ref>[https://www.caa.co.uk/sera SERA]</ref>
* need and EASA licence and medical for G-registered aircraft after 2020-04-08
* &quot;PART-gliding&quot; → &quot;Sailplane Rule Book&quot; – unfinished EASA regs
* on the exam, assume:
** gliders are EASA/G-registered
** pilots are flying on BGA Bronze / XC endorsement
** SERA + UK amendments + BGA Laws &amp; Rules apply
* CAP393: ANO &amp; RotA for non-EASA '''powered''' aircraft

== Regulations ==

* &quot;SERA, ANO and RotA – Consolidation&quot;<ref>[https://www.caa.co.uk/sera SERA]</ref>
* Skyway Code<ref>[https://www.caa.co.uk/General-aviation/Safety-information/The-Skyway-Code/ The Skyway Code]</ref> (mainly power)
* ''Bronze and Beyond'',<ref>[http://www.mccullagh.biz/ John McCullagh, ''Bronze &amp; Beyond'']</ref> edition ≥ 20
* BGA Laws &amp; Rules<ref>[https://members.gliding.co.uk/laws-rules/ BGA Laws &amp; Rules]</ref>
** &quot;operating regulations&quot;
** &quot;managing flying risk&quot;

== NOTAMs ==

; AIPs<ref name="ais">[https://ais.org.uk/ AIS]</ref>
: authoritative data on danger areas, wave windows, etc. (sometimes useful)
; AICs<ref name="ais" />
: flight safety, technology, legislation, etc.

Before every flight, must check (EASA &amp; Bronze rules):

* weather
* NOTAMs
* aircraft airworthiness
* documents including ARC

== Right of way ==

* approaching head-on: both turn right
* overtake on the right, except gliders may overtake '''each other''' on either side
* ridge soaring rules: see below
* &quot;on the right, in the right&quot;, '''but''':
** hierarchy: balloons &gt; gliders &gt; airships &gt; aerotow combinations &gt; powered aircraft
** &quot;impaired maneuverability&quot; has right of way (e.g. emergency)
** always pass behind, not over/under/in front
* no formation flying except by prior agreement

== Ridges ==

* glider with ridge on the right has the right of way and doesn't alter course
* if you have the ridge on your left, fly further out
* usually turn away from ridge, overtake very carefully

= Principles of Flight =

== Lift, drag and glide performance ==

== Control and stability ==

== Glider instruments ==

== References ==

<references/>

[[Category:Theory]]
[[Category:Syllabus]]
[[Category:Reports]]