TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #1 - Safety Bulletins1/26/09I have decided to deal with safety issues by sending out numbered bulletins - this is number one. By doing this you will be able to save the bulletins should you so wish and know from the numbering if you have them all or if there are some missing. From the Safety Officer point of view I will be able to keep a log of all bulletins and eventually incorporate them into the Safety Manual. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #2 - Launching Blaniks from grass prohibited.1/26/09 The only exception to this rule is if a CFIG is giving instruction for training or proficiency purposes. A revised Glider Launch Procedure document is attached which reflects this change. The reason for this rule is that the Blanik tail wheel can catch on the runway threshold during the launch. This causes damage and weakening of the wheel mechanism and the interior bulkheads to which the wheel is attached. This past week Harlan has had to repair a Blanik tail wheel which had been bent nearly 45 degrees from its proper position. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #3 - Grob Cockpit Canopy1/26/09Incident: There was an incident on 1/25/09 in the Grob 103 where the rear cockpit canopy was unintentionally opened during flight. Thanks to the quick action of the pilot in the rear seat there was no loss of control or damage.  Cause: The cause of the problem is that the rear canopy locking control handle can be turned down 180 degrees after the canopy is locked. In this position it interferes with the range of motion of the rear seat spoiler control. In this case the pilot in the front seat was PIC and deployed the spoilers on landing which caused the spoiler handle in the back seat to push back the canopy release handle and open the canopy.  I do not believe this is a common incident as there is no reason to turn down the rear canopy locking handle. However it is clearly not an isolated incident as there is a hard to read notice on the rear canopy cover close to the handle indicating that it should not be turned down. Action: All pilots should be aware when flying the Grob 103 that the rear canopy locking control handle must be kept in its vertical upright position. I will look into making a new legible label indicating the proper position of the handle. Harlan has said he will look into some way of preventing the handle from being inverted. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #4 - Do not fly in jump zone1/26/09Incident: There were two incidents on 1/25/09 of gliders flying in or close to the jump zone. One glider was seen low and surrounded by open chutes. The other glider which was higher and on the edge of the jump zone was called by the jump plane and asked to move to the west. 

Action: Before you take off check with the tow plane for the jump zone. Stay clear of the jump zone. Monitor your radio at all times especially when you are near the field so you will know when the jump planes are releasing the jumpers. Remember, when you are high the jumpers are in free fall and not as visible. Comment: I appreciate the jump zone is not delineated in black and white and that jumpers will stray out of their zone probably more often that we will stray into it. This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins whenever possible. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #5 - Launching procedures - AGAIN!2/7/09Incident: On 2/7/09 a glider was launching and the slack had not been completely taken out of the towline prior to a glider launch. Consequently the towplane accelerated and the towline broke when snapped tight. Cause: The problem was caused by the wing runner not giving clear signals to the tow pilot who believed the towline was taught and had been given the signal to launch. Action: To run a wing you must understand the launch signals.  YOU ARE ALL SAFETY OFFICERS - if you see someone not giving proper or clear signals it is your responsibility to stop any operation if you feel it is unsafe.  As a pilot in these circumstances you have the final authority, don't give a thumbs up if you feel there is too much slack in the rope. If this does not stop the launch and you are not comfortable then PULL THE RELEASE. The wing runner must make the proper North American launch signals in a clear and exaggerated manner. They must be made across the front of the body in order for the tow pilot to see them. Comment: In this case the wing runner does not normally fly in north America which may or may not have caused the confusion with signals. There are also undertones of haste! When the flying is good everyone is in a hurry to get off the ground and there is a tendency to take short cuts. The most efficient way to get anything done is to TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO IT PROPERLY.  This was the second tow line broken on that day and there was a 40 minute delay while a new towline was being made which evidently created some frustration - something else which is not conducive to a safe operation. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #6 - Considerations for Low Releases2/7/09This past weekend (2/7/09) the lift was strong and we had some low releases - one as low as 1100 feet. I know we all like to release low - it is a great ego booster, saves a few bucks and gets the towplane back on the ground very quickly. When releasing low make sure you are not releasing into a pattern area for other gliders or powered aircraft. Releasing at 1100 feet gives you a 100 foot margin of safety if you are above

the glider pattern area - yes it is a safety margin but not a big one on a busy day. The pattern area for powered aircraft is to the north of 4/22 and it is 1000 feet for single engine aircraft. For aircraft with more than one engine it is 1500 feet - if you are over this area do not release below 1500 plus a suitable safety margin. You are the pilot - it is your decision when to release. Circumstances change - a quiet Wednesday in the summer with the jump school closed and little general aviation on 4/22 is quite different to a busy Saturday or Sunday at this time of year when ZPH is busy all over. Please consider the circumstances and make generous margins for safety. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #7 - Soaring Safety Seminar February 212/10/09Happy New Year Please put the February 21st FAA/SSA Soaring Safety Seminar in Lakeland on your calendar and plan to attend. February 21 is a Saturday and the club will not be flying that day. The seminar starts at 9am. For more information please go to the following link: http://faasafety.gov/SPANS/event_details.aspx?eid=21068 and if you haven't been there before then make sure you print the following directions! http://www.faaproductionstudios.com/Map%20To%20Studio.html UNfortuantely I will not be able to attend but I have attended this seminar for the past two years and I can assure you it is worth while. Some of the benefits, by no means all, are: You will learn new things about safety.You will be reminded of safety matters that you have forgotten or become complacent about.You will meet glider pilots from other locations.There will be coffee and donuts in the morning and last time there was pizza for lunch. Please make every effort to be there. We are fortunate to have this seminar so close to us - other pilots travel much further to attend. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #8 - Far 61.57 Recent flight experience "Currency"2/10/09Incident: There was a potential incident on 2/8/09 when two pilots were planning to fly together. Neither pilot had flown in the previous 90 days. Neither pilot met FAR 61.57 "Recent flight experience: Pilot in command". This was not an intentional situation as each pilot thought the

other was PIC. The situation was resolved and each pilot will fly their three solo flights prior to carrying passengers. Cause: Failure to check the Pilot Registry in the Blue Box prior to flying. Action: All pilots MUST check and update the Pilot Registry on a regular basis prior to flying. All pilots MUST be current with respect to FARS 61.56 & 61.57 in order to fly. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #9 - Skydive City3/27/08Not so much of a Safety Bulletin as an Information Bulletin. On Wednesday (3/25) morning I went over to Skydive City to meet with David "TK" Hayes who is manager, part owner and pilot at Skydive City. I went over there to introduce myself as a good neighbor and to see if there might be any issues to be discussed. The bottom line is that that TK is happy with the cooperation between the two organsations as am I.  Anyway he is a really nice guy and as the next jump load was not full he offered me a ride in the right seat of the Twin Otter. Basically he climbs at close to full throttle to 13.5k feet where looking over my shoulder I could see about 16 people step out of an airplane! Then it's a Disney ride down - full forward trim, point the nose at the ground and lose close to 3k feet per minute. It may appear at times the jump planes are in a hurry to get up and down - this is simply explained by the fact they burn 90 gallons of fuel per hour. I think we are fortunate to have a friendly cooperative neighbor at Skydive City. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #10 - Towing gliders with golf carts4/6/09Incident: A club member took a golf cart near a glider on the line not realising the tow line was attached to a glider. As the line became taught it pulled across the back of another members legs causing him to fall. The line then broke.  Cause: Failure to check if the golf cart tow line was free and not attached to a glider or snagged upon any other object. Action: When using the golf carts members MUST check that the tow lines are not attached to gliders. When driving a cart while trailing an unattached tow line members MUST check that the towline is not snagged on other objects and drive a course that will keep the towline clear of gliders, other carts and especially people. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer 

This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #11 - Signal flags & rope pick up5/14/09I made two new flag sticks with hooks to pick up the tow line. Each stick has an orange flag attached to it which the wing runner should use for signals to the tow pilot. I placed one of these flag sticks on each of the golf carts. Please use them. I'd like to thank Buzz Wilson for this idea.Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #12 - Damage to 2SL following cross country flight5/18/09Incident: On 5/1/09 Hans Conle and John Ellis in an attempt to break the Florida straight distance record for a two seat glider flew Blanik 2SL approximately 123 miles north toward Lake City where they landed in a farmers field. While they landed safely with no personal injury there was damage to the horizontal stabilizer of the aircraft and the internal bulkheads which support it. Cause: Failure to find a landing strip in the area and breaking away from the task in time to reach a suitable landing strip. Action: Damaging a club aircraft requires grounding of the PIC. As Pilot In Command Hans Conle is grounded from flying any TBSS club aircraft until he is approved to fly them again following a flight review with a TBSS instructor. Such review is to cover task abandonment heights required to reach nearby landable airfields and analysis of the log of the flight in question to see what the alternatives were.  Here is a link to the flight: http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?flightId=278916270 Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #13 - Tow hook failure6/2/09Incident: On May 31 a club instructor flying with a student in Blanik 4PT experienced a tow hook failure while on tow at aproximately 500' agl. The instructor safely turned around and landed the glider on runway 18.  Cause: A spring in the tow hook mechanism had failed causing the hook to release. Action: Replacement springs have been ordered and the spring in 4PT will be replaced. The manufacturer, Blanik, has indicated this to be part of owner maintenance. The tow hooks in all three Blaniks will be checked and replaced or repaired if necessary. Member awareness: All members must be aware that such incidents can occur and maintain their flying skills to be able to handle such situations. The FARs require a flight review every two years where you'll probably be required to handle a simulated rope break - in all likelihood you

will know about it in advance - it's probably the only practice you'll get - is it enough? If you follow your preflight checklist and think through your emegency plan each time you launch then it may be enough. But if you become complacent and think these things will never happen to you, then all the practice in the world may not help. We are fortunate with the current incident that it happened with an experienced pilot at an altitude that gave him time to safely land the aircarft - but the tow hook did not know this! Be mentally sharp prior to flying, give yourself time to complete your checklists thoroughly, do not allow yourself to be rushed or distracted. Review your emergency plan mentally or with another pilot. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #14 - Tow rope installation6/2/09Incident: On May 31 a glider was towed onto the runway for launch. The person handling the tow rope showed the pilot the tow ring which was large and had no additional small ring to fit the Tost hook on the aircraft. The wing runner immediately realised the rope had been attached the wrong way round and remedied the situation. Cause: Failure by tow pilot and line chief to either attach or supervise the proper attachment of the tow line to the tow plane.  Action: The following procedure mst be used for the attachment of the tow line to the tow plane.  1. The tow pilot is to inspect the tow line prior to its use.2. The tow line must be attached by the tow pilot, an instructor or another pilot who has been shown how to correctly attach the tow line by a tow pilot or instructor.3. When the tow line is attached the tow plane release must be tested by pulling on the tow line and asking the tow pilot to release it. If the release is successful then the tow line should be reattached and the tow plane will be ready for towing. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #15 - Check for foreign bodies in aircraft6/11/09Incident: On June 11 a private glider was assembled and on doing a check of the spoilers a large ants nest was found inside the spoiler cavity of one of the wings. Fortunately this was found prior to flying. Finding your cockpit invaded by ants while on tow or at anytime while flying may be the cause of an unfortunate incident. Action:  1. Before flying all pilots must thoroughly check aircraft to make sure there are no undesirables aboard. Check under seats and open all available inspection ports. Check especially for snakes, bees, wasps or other stinging insects. Red ants can carry pounds of dirt into an aircraft to make a nest. Use an appropriate means to kill the insects and remove the remains.  

2. Pilots with their own aircraft in trailers should spray down their trailers with insecticide on a regular basis and consider using fumigation devices. Pilots who are not in the area and leaving their gliders in their trailers for extended periods should make arrangements for their equipment to be checked. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #16 - Glider to Glider Communications6/11/09Incident: I'll plead guilty to this one - on June 11 I used the ZPH Unicom frequency of 123.075 to contact another glider pilot to find his location and meet up with him. This is an inappropriate use of the Unicom frequency. It should be noted there are only seven Unicom frequencies for all non-towered airfields and when we are in the air and broadcast on 123.075 we are using the same frequency as Deland whose traffic communications could be heard clearly on June 11.Action: Glider to glider communications should be made using frequency 123.300 which is assigned to flight schools and balloons. If you plan to communicate with another glider pilot this should be discussed prior to launch so the channel can be monitored and initiating communication need not be made on 123.075. The Zephyrhills Unicom frequency 123.075 should be used for traffic advisory purposes only. Comment: 123.500 is another frequency option but in our area glider to glider communication is generally made on 123.300 probably because it is the frequency used by Lake Seminole Gliderport for their traffic and is monitored by their pilots. Using 123.300 keeps all our chatter on the "glider channel" leaving 123.500 for other flight schools.  Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #17 - Yaw Strings7/27/09Incident: July 16, I arrived at the field and prepared the Grob 103 for flight. When I checked the yaw strings the front one fell off. It had been stuck on with a band-aid - yes the kind that comes out of the medical box! - over the duct tape which had held on the previous one.  Action: I have made approximately 40 woolen yaw strings and stick on pads to hold them on. The stick on pads are made of "rip stop" a material designed to repair sails which holds up well in rain and sun. The new yaw strings are (will be on Wednesday anyway) in the blue box in a clear plastic bag and are available for club and private ships. Prior to attaching the new yaw string CLEAN ALL EXISTING TAPE AND GLUE FROM THE CANOPY. Comment: The loss of a yaw string can compromise the safety of a glider. In turns while in a pattern for landing especially with spoilers out a pilot not realising the glider is in a slip or a skid can easily find himself in trouble. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #18 - Lark landed with gear up - again!7/30/09Incident: July 29, The Lark was landed with the gear-up. The pilot stated he placed the lever in the down position but it moved upright a bit upon touchdown. The pilot later stated that his cell phone had been sitting on the spot where the gear knob is placed for landing, which meant the gear mechanism wasn't fully down and locked.  Action 1: Pilots must make sure that the landing gear is DOWN AND LOCKED. When operating the undergear lever, make sure the area where the lever is going to go is free of obstructions. Action 2: All items in a glider cockpit must be secure at all times and not interfere in any way with the operation of the glider. This includes but is not limited to hand held radios, water bottles, cameras and cell phones. If items are not secure the impact of negative G or turbulence can easily displace them. We do NOT want pilots to find any of these items on the cockpit floor jammed in any of the gliders control systems. Use the belt clips on radios to attach them to your safety belts, keep other items in pockets or use velcro to secure them safely. Action 3: The pilot in this incident is grounded from flying club aircraft until cleared to fly again by a club CGIG (instructor). This is standard procedure for damaging club aircraft and/or landing with wheels up.  Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #19 - Land out in pasture8/4/09Incident:  Jly 25, a privately owned glider landed out in a cow pasture. It was decided that the glider could be pulled out with the tow plane, which had surveyed the field and landed. In an attempt to achieve the greatest possible takeoff distance, the retrieve crew pushed the glider back up against a small ridge of soil (berm). Unknown to the pilot this jammed the glider's rudder. When the slack was taken up, the glider pilot signaled the wing-runner with thumbs-up, and the wing runner made the appropriate takeoff signal to the pilot. The tow pilot then powered up and started pulling the glider. When the glider pilot realized his rudder was jammed, (possibly because he was attempting to give a rudder wag against the soil) he looked to the wing runner and yelled "wait!" The wing runner then placed the wing on the ground, but the towplane was already under power at this point. The drag of the wing in the grass caused the glider to swerve at a 45* angle during which time the release mechanism opened, the glider came to a stop, and the tow plane returned to ZPH.  

Analysis:Several errors were made by a fairly experienced crew. It was an error to place the tail of the glider against a mound of grassy soil. The pilot failed to make a control check prior to hook up. The pilot erred in telling the wing runner to wait after signalling the thumbs up. The glider pilot should have pulled the release immediately. The tow pilot made the correct decision to return directly to ZPH.  

Comment: The glider should have been on level ground with no obstructions. The pilot should have performed a pre-takeoff checklist. At any time on any take off if a pilot is not comfortable with the circumstances then he/she must pull the release to abort the lainch. Once the tow plane has powered up the tow pilots attention is not on the wing runner and there is nothing the wing

runner can do at this time. It should also be noted that the retrieve crew did not take water with them and may have been partially dehydrated which may have had a negative influence on the the decision making process. Fortunately there was no damage incurred in this incident. Retrieval Recommendation:Retrieval by the tow plane should NOT be carried out unless a glider has landed out at an airfield which has a suitable surface and length as determined by the tow pilot for the retreival of the glider in question.  Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #20 - Blown tire on recessed runway light8/5/09Incident: 8/1/09 a private glider landed on runway 18 and turned off on to the grass in the club area. During the turn off the glider main wheel ran over a recessed runway light and the impact blew the tire. The tire is thought to have had a lower pressure than that recommended by the manufacturer. 

 

Recessed Runway Light - the culprit! Recommendation: While it may seem the chances of this happening are remote it is recommended that pilots make themselves aware of the recessed lights and their locations and avoid running over them unnecessarily. It is also important to make sure that tire pressures are in accordance with the glider manufacturers specifications. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #21 - Summer heat - Dehydration & Heat stroke8/7/09Incident:It is hot in the summer in Florida and at ZPH we regularly have temperatures well in excess of 90F. In the preflight period when you may have to wait in the cockpit prior to launch for 5-10 minutes it will be extremely hot. These are conditions which will cause dehydration.  Problem:Dehydration is a critical loss of water from the body.The first noticeable effect of dehydration is fatigue, which makes top physical and mental performance difficult, sometimes impossible. As a

glider pilot in Florida, you will often fly for a long period of time in very hot summer temperatures. This makes you particularly susceptible to dehydration for two reasons: the clear canopy offers no protection from the sun and the higher you are the fewer air pollutants there are to diffuse the suns rays. The result is that you are continually exposed to heat that your body attempts to regulate by perspiration. If this fluid is not replaced, fatigue progresses to dizziness, weakness, nausea, tingling of hands and feet, abdominal cramps and extreme thirst. Recommendation:To prevent dehydration you MUST carry an ample supply of water and drink at frequent intervals whether you are thirsty or not - on the ground and in the air. Consider stowing a camel back in your cockpit on long flights in order to carry plenty of water. Wear light colored, porous clothing, and a broad brimmed hat and consider long pants and a long sleeved shirt to provide protection from the sun. Keep the cockpit well ventilated to dispell the heat. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #22 – Towing8/10/09Incident: This is not an isolated incident but happens often and on occasion we are all guilty of it. Glider pilots jerk the tow plane around, lose site of the tow plane or fly in a position where the tow pilot can not see them.  Action: Concentrate on the tow. On take off stay low behind the towplane - do not lift his tail. On tow keep the towplane wheels close to the horizon - this is a position where the tow pilot can see you in his mirrors. I appreciate that in the Lark and some high performance gliders (including my Jantar) the tow plane may be almost below your instrument panel so work at it. If the towplane hits lift then be ready to go with it. When the tow plane banks into a turn, bank at the same angle and aim at its outside wing tip. If you get slack rope then skid the glider behind the towplane to slow it down, when the rope takes up it will pull the glider out of the skid and this action will absorb the shock of the rope taking up.  We do not practice "soft releases" at TBSS so you should release when you are level behind the towplane and not try to accelerate upwards to gain aditional altitude. After your flight, check in with the tow pilot to see if he had any problems with your tow and to say "thankyou". Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #23 - Radio procedures8/15/09Incident: 

August 12. The tow pilot was moving forward slowly to take the slack out of the tow rope. As it tightened the glider pilot got on the radio and said "Stop Jim". At the same time another Jim in a powered aircraft on Runway 4 thought he was being addressed and asked why he should stop. Fortunately the confusion was quickly resolved. Analysis:Proper radio procedures were not followed. "Jim" is not an aircraft call sign - see AIM 4-2-1. Radio communications with the towplane should be prefixed with "Pawnee seven three two nine zulu", "Pawnee two nine zulu" or "two nine zulu". Comment:Read AIM (Aeronautical Information Manual) 4-2-1. In the worst case scenario improper radio communications can lead to disastrous results. At ZPH we have glider, skydiving and general aviation activities on four runways. Consequently we must continually monitor radio communications in the area. Proper call signs and clear precise transmissions are essential for the safety of all. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #24 - Landing gear down NOT LOCKED8/31/09Incident: August 30, A member landed a private glider with the gear up. The pilot stated he had lowered the gear but not checked the locking mechanism and shortly after landing the gear retracted and the glider skidded to a halt on the fuselage. The pilot had had a short frustrating flight failing to find lift and had not entered or announced a landing pattern until 800 feet AGL in the hope of finding lift. Action: Pilots MUST make sure that the landing gear is DOWN AND LOCKED. Pilots must leave adequate time to do a full and complete landing check PRIOR to entering a landing pattern. The pilot in this incident is grounded from flying until cleared to fly again by a club CFIG (instructor) - this is standard procedure for landing with wheel up. Comment: I do not normally state who the pilot is in Safety Bulletins - however in this case it is your Safety Officer, Allan Broadribb.  Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #25 - Do not pass the tow plane!10/15/09Incident: October 7, The tow pilot not seeing the glider in his mirrors looked around to find the glider out to his side and parallel with the tow plane. At this point the tow pilot released the glider and both aircraft safely returned to the field, the glider releasing the towline on the way. Action: Pilots MUST concentrate while on the tow and keep the towplane in sight at all times. Stay behind the towplane in a position where the pilot can see you in his mirrors. To stay behind the towplane, keep the towplane wheels on the horizon, when the towplane banks into a turn bank the glider at the same angle and point the the nose at the outer wing tip of the towplane.  

GOING HIGH means you may accelerate to a speed faster than the towplane when you try to bring the glider back down. GOING WIDE in a turn means there may be a "slingshot" effect which will accelerate the glider past the towplane. In these circumstances skid the glider to slow it down just as you would in a slack rope situation. If this does not slow the glider enough then use the spoilers in addition to further slow the glider (probably the only legitimate use for spoilers while on tow). If all else fails then release the tow rope providing it is safe to do so and return to the field. Be the master of your own destiny - do not make the tow pilot release you - you might not like the circumstances.  Comment: If you have been released by the towplane and have the tow rope attached to the glider, providing you can do so safely, try to drop the tow rope over a safe area and make a mental note of where it has been dropped. Dropping it over ZPH would be ideal. A 200 foot tow rope can cause damage or injury. For example, in a farmers field it can cause damage to farm machinery and it is quite obvious to the farmer where it came from. If the location of a dropped tow rope is known then it should be retrieved ASAP. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #26 - Clearing the runway10/15/09Incident: It often happens that late in the day (late enough that it may not be reasonable for the Line Chief to be there) several gliders will land in a short time period and the gliders are not cleared behind the 200 foot line very quickly. Although a glider may be off the runway (not behind the 200 foot line) it makes it difficult for the next glider to steer off of the runway on landing due to the proximity of the other glider(s).  Action 1: The glider pilot is responsible to get the glider behind the 200 foot line. In the absence of a golf cart or anyone to help this can be done by leaving the canopy open and hauling the glider by the seat straps. Do not wait 10 minutes for some one to come out with a cart. Action 2: The primary use for the golf carts late in the day is for getting back to the club house for a beer while they are parked outside. WRONG, at least one golf cart and preferably both must be left out behind the 200 foot line until all gliders have returned to the club. Action 3: Late in the day, if you are on the ground, keep an eye open for landing gliders and assist them with getting gliders back to their tie down locations.Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #27 - Glider/Towplane accident11/29/09I bring this to your attention. http://www.ktvu.com/news/21747498/detail.html Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer 

This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #28 - December is different12/2/09Situational Awareness - KZPH IS A BUSY AIRPORT In December Skydive City with three Twin Otters can fly over 40 loads per day. In peak hours there can easily be 8 loads - that is 8 takeoffs and 8 landings - about one every 4 minutes. On a decent soaring day between noon and 5 pm we can easily have 20 tows - that is 20 takeoffs and 40 landings - about one every 5 minutes. With a potential for more than 27 takeoffs and landings per hour on runway 18/36 KZPH is a busy airfield in December - and this is not counting operations on runway 4/22. Cooperation requires Situational Awareness and Communication by all pilots. Whether you are a tow pilot or glider pilot please keep aware of this situation. Monitor your radio at all times and communicate when necessary. Be calm, be courteous, be prudent and be prepared. Be prepared to launch efficiently but do not allow yourself to be rushed. Be prepared to clear the runway when required. When asked to clear the runway, do it quickly, do not question the decision or try to clear it by launching. Under these circumstances it is more important than ever to keep ALL equipment and people behind the 200' line marked by cones and flags at ALL times. This area may be required to land a glider if the runway is occupied. When you are in the air remember that Skydive City have as many as 1,000 jumps on a good day. Stay well clear of the jump zone and, as a courtesy, keep clear of the jump plane landing pattern area to the east of 18/36 which will also be busy. When landing, if you determine it is necessary to land on 36 then do so, otherwise as a courtesy, use 18 to avoid flying through the jump zone. Go through your landing check list thoroughly. Make sure your radio is working, if it has been quiet then make sure it is turned on, check the volume is not turned down. If you are not sure then request a radio check. Look at the field, listen to your radio, use all of your senses to know what is going on. Ask yourself, are there jumpers in the air, is there a jump plane taking off or landing, is there a glider preparing to launch or land? Now you know where everyone else is, tell them where you are, announce your landing clearly at pattern entry and do NOT deviate from the pattern unless it is necessary (no matter how much lift you find!). Announce your turns to base and final. Give yourself adequate altitude in your pattern so that you can extend it if necessary to allow extra time if the runway isn't cleared as quickly as you had expected. And, if it all goes wrong then have an emergency plan - if you don't have one then you shouldn't have flown in the first place - get with an instructor and review what you can do. Consider that we are fortunate at KZPH, 18/36 is a 5000 foot long runway, we have 4/22, a taxiway and a wide grass strip for backups. We have been through this before - none of it is new - between December 10 & 20 last year Skydive City flew 400 loads and made 8000 drops - just be aware of the situation, cooperate, communicate, and do not be complacent. December is different. Allan BroadribbTBSS Safety Officer 

This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #29 - Clearing the runway1/22/10Incident: Wednesday (1/20/10) two incidents: 1. Tow plane and glider were on the runway staged for a launch when the Lark announced it was landing. The Lark pilot was aware of the staging and elected to land short and pulled off the runway well before reaching the tow pilot and glider which remained on the runway. 2. A glider was thermalling in the pattern area in weak conditions. The tow plane and and a glider were beside the runway unable to determine if they should launch due to the proximity of the thermalling glider which may have to land. A radio call to the glider elicited the response that they would announce when they would land. The tow plane and glider pulled onto the runway and sure enough the thermalling glider announced it would land. The tow plane and glider moved to the side of the runway. Action: When an aircraft is landing every effort must be made to clear the runway. In an emergency it is OK to clear equipment just to the side of the runway. At all other times all equipment when not being used to stage a launch or retrieve a landed glider must be moved behind the 200' line marked by flags and cones. This includes: the tow plane, gliders, golf carts and glider pilots. As for thermalling in the pattern area - DON'T DO IT. Read the SAFETY MANUAL in the BLUE BOX. Suffice to say, I have discussed the matter with the pilots of the thermalling glider. Comment: I understand the following: 1. Landing a glider short and turning off the runway while there are other aircraft on the runway can be done - it saves time and requires less effort. Under these circumstances the odds are as follows - on the win side the glider lands safely and you save 5 minutes - on the lose side you wreck the glider and the tow plane and someone gets hurt. 2. In an emergency clearing equipment just off the edge of the runway is better than having it on the runway. It also requires less effort which does not constitute an emergency. When there is time all equipment must be moved behind the 200' line - including the tow plane. 3. Unsafe actions in general require less effort. Understand that all of THESE ACTIONS REDUCE THE MARGIN OF SAFETY IN WHICH WE ARE OPERATING and increase the opportunities for accidents.  Allan BroadribbTBSS President & Acting Safety Officer (hurry up and get better Lee Ellis, we miss you)  This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #30 - Towline failure to release1/25/10Incident: Saturday (1/23/10): The Pilot of the SGS 2-32 was unable to release the tow rope and requested the tow plane to release. Following the release by the tow plane the Line Chief considering this could be an

emergency situation radioed the pilot of the 2-32 on several times but received no reply. Upon landing the Line Chief asked the pilot where the tow line was and why he had not been in radio contact. The pilot was not aware of when the the tow line had fallen from the glider and because of cockpit noise he had turned down the volume of his radio. Action: 1. When a glider can not release from the tow plane, then when it is safe to do so, the tow pilot should tow the glider back over ZPH airport prior to releasing the tow rope. Following the release if the tow line detaches itself from the glider there is a good chance that it will land in an area where it can do little damage. It is important that the pilots communicate and make every effort to ensure primarily a safe release by the glider and secondarily that the tow line falls where it can do the least damage. Whether the towline detaches itself or not the glider should land at the first opportunity in order to assess the cause of the incident and if there is any damage to the glider. A tow line falling in the wrong location could easily cause damage which could lead to the demise of the club. we must everything we can to minimize the chances of this happening. 2. When flying at ZPH it is of paramount importance that pilots listen to their radios at all times. I know I repeat myself when I say it is a busy airport and you must be aware of what is happening with Skydive City aircraft, parachutists in the air, other gliders taking off and landing and general aviation traffic. And, I will say it over and over again. 3. Know which tow line ring is to be used for the glider you are flying. Have the wing man hold up the ring you want him to use prior to the hookup. Comment: Why did the tow line not release? It may have been just bad luck - we may never know - but if you want to reduce your chances of bad luck I would suggest that when you fly you make sure the correct tow line ring is used. Do you know which ring should be used for the glider you are flying - if not then find out prior to getting in the plane. The Schweizer 2-32 tow hook should be attached using the large tow ring - can it be attached using the small tow ring - we may have found out. Allan BroadribbTBSS President & Acting Safety Officer (hurry up and get better Lee Ellis, we miss you)  This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome. We can not be too aggressive about safety.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #31 - Schweizer Tow Rings - Schweizer 1-26 & 2-32 grounded1/28/10Incident: As a follow up to the previous TBSS Safety Bulletin #30 - "Towline failure to release" Milt Moos and Alec Bennington on Wednesday successfully tried to duplicate the release failure on the Schweizer 2-32.  They demonstrated the following: "that the oval Tost ring attached to the Schweizer tow hook can flip around at the end of a tow-line slack out and jam the release lever.  The result of this is to totally immobilize the release knob as occurred last Saturday.  The release knob was as if it were welded in place and it could not be budged.  The larger of the Tost rings that was used is oval and smaller than the standard Schweizer 2-inch circular ring.  The use of a Schweizer ring with the Schweizer gliders will not allow this jam to occur." Action: TBSS will purchase Schweizer tow rings. A four-foot-long adapter line with a Schweizer ring on the end will be made and must be attached to the tow line when the Schweizer 2-32 and 1-26 gliders are towed. All ground crew must be trained in the use of the adapter line. It must be

removed from the towline when towing other gliders. Pilots of these aircraft are responsible for ensuring the adapters are used by having the ground crew in charge of hook-up show them the Schweizer ring attached to the towline prior to hook up. THE SCHWEIZER 1-26 AND 2-32 GLIDERS ARE GROUNDED UNTIL THE SCHWEIZER TOW RINGS ARE AVAILABLE. Comment:  I'd like to thank especially Milt Moos for his invaluable contribution to the safety of the club. Also thanks to Alec Bennington for working with Milt to replicate the problem.  Allan BroadribbTBSS President & Acting Safety Officer  This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome. We can not be too aggressive about safety TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #32 - Blanik L13 uses small tow ring1/29/10Incident: As a follow up to the previous TBSS Safety Bulletins concerning tow rings I have contacted Blanik America concerning which tow ring should be used for the Blanik L13. They have responded as follows: Hello Allan,The smaller of the two rings is inserted into the tow release.Please let us know if you need any other service. Safe soaring!Have a nice day,BLANIK AMERICA, INC.Vitek Siroky

Action: The small tow ring is to be used for launching the Blanik L13. Allan BroadribbTBSS President & Acting Safety Officer  This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome. We can not be too aggressive about safety

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #33 - Sun 'n Fun Fly-In - ZPH Safety Issues4/12/10SITUATIONAL AWARENESS The 36th annual Sun 'n Fun Fly-In opens tomorrow at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Fla. The Fly-In will feature B-52 bombers and C-17 cargo planes on display, and the Navy will bring an F-18 Hornet jet fighter to the show. The six-day event is expected to attract more than 160,000 visitors and hundreds of small aircraft that will fly in. For a number of reasons many of these small planes will fly into ZPH, where it is easier for a less experienced pilot to land due to less traffic. Many will also fly in because the gas is cheaper. Many of these pilots do not know our airport well and may not be aware of the soaring and skydive operations taking place on runways 18 & 36. Some may not be aware that the general aviation services area is is on runway 4 & 22 and some have been known to follow the jump plane into the skydive area. They will sometimes announce the name of their own airport unicom instead of Zephyrhills Traffic. There will be a lot of chatter on 123.075.

 If you fly during this period be aware of the above.  RADIOS: Pilots - make sure your radio is checked before you pull up onto the line - you do not want to be in the air with a dead battery or the volume turned low! Stay current with the radio transmissions. Same for the launch officer - you must have a radio with you at all times. When you make announcements - start and end your transmission with "Zephyrhills Traffic". Make sure you emphasize the word "GLIDER" in all transmissions.  EYES & EARS: Look around and listen to make sure the the runways, pattern areas and skies are clear - don't depend on others more than you have to. IF YOU ARE SOARING NEAR ZPH KEEP A SHARP EYE OUT FOR OTHER AIRCRAFT - THIS IS NOT A TIME TO BURY YOUR HEAD IN THE COCKPIT. IT IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO FLY SOUTH TOWARD LAKELAND LINDER!!! CLEAR THE RUNWAY as fast as you can - those on the ground please be quick to assist with this. I know you are all good pilots - I have faith in you - let's take care of the visitors. Allan BroadribbPresident – TBSS

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #3410/27/10 & 10/30/10

Incident Nbr 1: On Wed. Oct 27th, a the 1-26 was positioned for takeoff and the tow pilot was in the process of taking up slack when the 2-32 announced on downwind. As the process of taking up slack continued, the radio call from the 2-32 instructed the tow pilot to "GO" in the most emphatic sense of the word. All involved then proceeded to do so -- wrongly I might add, and the takeoff proceeded with the Pawnee pulling the glider up and smartly making an abrupt left turn to avoid the oncoming 2-32. Incident Nbr 2: On Sat. Oct30th, a glass ship was positioned on the centerline and men were there in the process of attaching the tow line, and removing the tail dolly when the tow pilot took up slack without being given the signal to do so. The glider jerked forward as the slack was removed. The man who had just attached the tow line was forced to dive under the wing of the glider to avoid injury, and the man who was straddling the tail boom in the process of removing the dolly was forced to make a gymnastic roll to avoid being injured by oncoming tail section. Had that not been a T-tail, there would surely have been injuries. The tow pilot later cliamed he was under pressure from an incoming Twin Otter. Analysis: In both of these cases I feel the tow pilots allowed themselves to be pressured to take action in the face of incoming traffic, and the action they took was to power up the Pawnee instead of releasing the rope and taxiing off the runway. They took the worst of several options they had available. Especially in the last case, he could have remained stationary, or released and taxied off. The huge mistake that was made was to take up slack with people in the way. We all know from every friggin' launch we do, that the glider is always jerked forward two or three feet when slack is taken up. In both cases, the proper action is to instruct (via radio) the ground crew to move the glider off the area. If no radios are available, the Pawnee should detach and taxi off -- and the wing runners will get the message that way. Action: From here on: 1.) No glider pilot in the pattern is to tell the Pawnee to "GO" as was done last Wednesday. Make the standard announcement, then leave it to the tow pilot to co-ordinate ground activity. Landing traffic has right-of-way, but that doesn't mean landing traffic can issue directives like air traffic control.

2.) No tow pilot is to take up slack fully unless instructed by the glider pilot or the ground crew via standard signals. Maybe you can take up some, but not all, since the glider "always" gets jerked forward by the last few feet being taken up. You absolutely MUST wait for a signal from the personnel involved. 3.) No towline is to be attached until the tail dolly is removed from the glider. Comment: Tow pilots, you are supposed to be the most responsible people we have, as you are the only ones the insurance company requires to be qualified in both types of aircraft. I expect you to excersise more contol, and not let yourself be pressured the get the launch process going simply because you think someone is breathing down your neck. You can be diplomatic, but I expect Y-O-U to be the ones to have the final say since you have the throttle.

J.B. WattsTBSS CFI-G

P.S. I wrote the above without approval of the board, so they can overrule me if they wish. P.S.S. This Safety Bulletin is not about right and wrong or blame. It is about situational awareness, courtesy and increasing safety margins. Your constructive comments are always welcome.

TBSS SAFETY BULLETIN #35 - Sun 'n Fun Fly-In, March 27 - April 1, 2012. ZPH Safety Issues3/24/12

SITUATIONAL AWARENESSThe 37th annual Sun 'n Fun Fly-In opens March 27 at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Fla. The Fly-In will feature a variety of warbirds, cargo planes and recreational aircraft. The six-day eventwill attract well over 1000,000 visitors and hundreds of small aircraft that will fly in. For a number of reasons many of these small planes will fly into ZPH, where it is easier for a less experienced pilot to land due to less traffic. Many will also fly in because the gas is cheaper. Many of these pilots do not know our airport well and may not be aware of the soaring and skydive operations taking place on runways 18 & 36. Some may not be aware that the general aviation services area is is on runway 4 & 22 and some have been known to follow the jump plane into the skydive area. They will sometimes announce the name of their own airport unicom instead of Zephyrhills Traffic. There will be a lot of chatter on 123.075. If you fly during this period be aware of the above. RADIOS: Pilots - make sure your radio is checked before you pull up onto the line - you do not want to be in the air with a dead battery or the volume turned low! Stay current with the radio transmissions. Same for the launch officer - you must have a radio with you at all times. When you make announcements - start and end your transmission with "Zephyrhills Traffic". Make sure you emphasize the word "GLIDER" in all transmissions. EYES & EARS: Look around and listen to make sure the the runways, pattern areas and skies are clear - don't depend on others more than you have to.IF YOU ARE SOARING NEAR ZPH KEEP A SHARP EYE OUT FOR OTHER AIRCRAFT - THIS IS NOT A TIME TO BURY YOUR HEAD IN THE COCKPIT. IT IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO FLY SOUTH TOWARD LAKELAND LINDER!!!CLEAR THE RUNWAY as fast as you can - those on the ground please be quick to assist with this.I know you are all good pilots - I have faith in you - let's take care of the visitors.

Allan BroadribbTBSS – Safety Officer