Once you complete the first few training slope flights, you will graduate to longer flights that will allow you to safely get into the harness. These flights will usually consist of smooth “sled rides” that are basically from the top of the hill to the bottom with no altitude gained. You will be flying the glider at trim speed most of the time which means you should feel about 3-5 pounds of pressure on the brake lines throughout the flight.
At some point you will fly in more active conditions with small thermals or other air texture that can cause the glider to move around. You can keep the glider from moving around too much through active piloting. This involves feeling a constant pressure on the brake lines and adjusting your weight in the harness to keep straight and level flight. At first you may be slow to react when making these adjustments, but after some practice it will become second nature. Remember that active piloting doesn’t necessarily involve constant action. It means constantly being aware of what the glider needs and making the correct input at the correct time. Be careful not to over control the glider - this can be worse than under-controlling.
In smooth air, you will be making minimal pressure adjustments. In active conditions you may need to make continuous and rapid adjustments. If the pressure decreases in the brake lines and the wing is out in front of you, your hands should descend until you feel pressure again and the wing is back over your head. If the pressure increases and the wing gets behind you, your hands should rise until you feel 3-5 pounds of pressure again and the wing begins to come forward over your head. The idea is to apply the brakes at just the right time to keep the glider over your head, or to stop its energy when it is directly over your head.
Keeping the glider from getting out in front of you or from falling behind you is called surge or pitch control. This backward and forward rocking is one of the most common movements a glider can make. When it encounters a parcel of air that is rising it will pitch back giving it a higher angle of attack. The amount of pitch will depend on the speed and size of the parcel of air that is rising. After this rearward pitch the glider will then surge forward giving it a lower angle of attack. You can help circumvent problems by making a few simple adjustments while this surging is occurring. When the glider pitches back it will have a high angle of attack, so we ease up on the control toggles and allow it to speed up and move forward. When you feel the glider start to surge forward and come overhead, you can add brake input to slow it down and keep it overhead. The further the glider pitches back, the further it will likely pitch forward, and the more brake input you will need to give it to control the surge. Occasionally you may encounter air that causes the glider to suddenly surge forward without pitching backward first. The correction is the same and you would immediately add brake input to slow the glider down. If you maintain horizon reference while flying, the movements of your glider will be easier to detect, and you will be able to make the correct input.
Weather conditions that cause surging can also cause the glider to roll. If the glider is raised higher on one side than the other it will create a similar tilt in your harness thus alerting you to the roll. You should also see the change in your horizon reference. To correct it simply shift your weight to the high side of the harness and force an alignment of your risers and re- center your glider. If one side of your glider rises slightly, you can add a little weight shift to that side until it flattens back out. If you get a roll oscillation and are swinging from side to side, do not attempt to correct it with opposite brake. If your timing is off it will make the roll worse. You should add a few extra pounds of pressure to both brakes and hold it until the swinging stops. You may then ease up on the toggles and return to trim speed.