DECISION HEIGHTS
•For early cross-countries when outside gliding range of Dunstable and assuming an L/D of at least 34 (=K23):-
•
–make sure you are over landable terrain by 2000ft.  i.e. not over built-up areas, forests, regions of small or otherwise un-landable fields (often in very hilly regions), expanses of water etc.
–by 1500ft choose a field and don’t let it get out of range
•(in weak lift you may be able to transfer to another field (but always keep one in range)
–by 1000ft make a decision to land and do it - whatever comes !
•
•If you leave your altimeter on QFE Dunstable you will probably have an additional margin for error locally
•
•More experienced pilots (i.e. those with a reasonable number of field landings under their belts) will have a lower limit for ‘decision to land’
–but they will always have suitable fields available
–You will probably know for yourself when you have reached this stage but don’t chance it before.