Hook in training starts on day one...

[Richard Hays]

I have a drill I use with my students on their first day or two of training.
I teach them how to hook in. Then how to lay down and then the walk thru.
The usual stuff. But then....after they're hooked in, I'll ask them the
obvious: "Are you hooked in"?. They'll look me straight in the eye and say
"Yes". I then ask them...." would you bet your life on that?"

At that moment...they will then turn around and visually check. Then I ask
them again "Are you hooked in??" They will then turn around....look
again....and then respond yes.

I then share with them the real life stories of Dennis Pagen, Pete Lehman,
Bob Gillisee and Jim Brasher. I then tell them that 1-3 people a year die
from forgetting to hook in. Sadly...I'll have to now include Bill.

I impress upon them that every time they prepare to launch, they are betting
their lives the've prepared properly....in both preflighting their wing AND
properly hooking into it and the harness.

I also recommend to them to always hook in BEFORE putting the helmet on. I
really feel that full face helmets somewhat impede this visual process of
hooking in.

Each story has its' own dynamics. We can only hope to learn from these, and
pray never to fall pray to them ourselves.

[Flying Lobster]

good stuff Richard! You mind if I borrow some of that (leaving out the names, of course )?

marc

[Richard Hays]

Absolutely. Please do. I'll worry about the copyrights later


>From: "Flying Lobster" <in_a_cloud@hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: hg_forum@chgpa.org
>To: hg_forum@chgpa.org
>Subject: Hook in training starts on day one...
>Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2005 21:22:59 -0400
>
>good stuff Richard! You mind if I borrow some of that (leaving out the
>names, of course )?
>
>marcgot art?
>http://www.marcfink.com/
>wanna fly?
>http://www.downeastairsports.com/