Work Together, Stay Apart is a CAA run industry-wide safety campaign to reduce the likelihood of mid-air accidents and the number of near collision and air proximity events within the circuit at unattended aerodromes.

About the campaign

Airborne conflict doesn’t affect just one individual or operator alone. It affects multiple pilots and operators flying in shared airspace, including any passengers in the aircraft at the time of conflict. This campaign is about recognising that all participants that operate at and from an uncontrolled aerodrome, and those who influence those operations, have a role to play in managing this risk.

The safety campaign is the first of its kind at this scale. Operating alongside business-as-usual safety education, inspections and industry guidance, the campaign is a coordinated set of activities targeted at increasing shared understanding of standardised procedures among pilots, improving aerodrome management and safety, and collaborating with operators to promote best practice.

Airborne conflicts at unattended aerodromes are a serious issue. Unattended aerodromes are those aerodromes that don’t have an air traffic service. Although many small aerodromes are always unattended, the term unattended also applies to other aerodromes with air traffic services, when they are off-watch.

Seven people have been killed in mid-air collisions at unattended aerodromes since 2008 and critical near miss incidents have increased every year since 2016.

• Since 2008 there have been 3 fatal mid-air collisions at unattended aerodromes: Paraparaumu in 2008, Feilding in 2010, and Masterton in 2019.
• Since 2016 there have been 431 events at unattended aerodromes reported through CA005 forms, due to a situation between two aircraft that resulted in a near collision, avoiding action being taken or where the pilot has felt that the other aircraft was uncomfortably close.
• In 2022, there were 14 critical near collision events reported, where there was one barrier left preventing a mid-air collision from occurring.

The safety campaign will span a two-year period with initiatives such as seminars for industry participants, working groups to address specific issues, educational material and dedicating the entire Summer 2023 edition of CAA’s Vector magazine.

Below, Peter Taylor - CFI Canterbury Gliding Club (left) shakes the hand of Keith Manch, Director and CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority upon signing of our commitment to the campaign.

Buffing and Waxing, all you need to know

from an article stolen from the AGC newsletter, stolen from Andy Brayer writing for Wings & Wheels

Buffing and waxing annually are recommended for Polly Urethane (PU), and mandatory for gelcoat finishes. For many of us, sailplanes represent a pretty significant financial commitment. Whether it’s a Libelle or a brand-new Ventus, it makes good sense to protect the condition of your machine. With the cost of a refinish exceeding $30,000 easily, routine buffing and waxing is a great way to take some pride in ownership and maintain your finish. Buffing and waxing annually are recommended for Polly Urethane (PU), and mandatory for gelcoat finishes. Besides a great soaring day, there’s never a bad time to polish and wax. If your glider doesn’t look like it needs it yet, congratulations, it’s the best time to do it!

It’s All In the Buff

Buffing removes oxidized material from the surface and essentially burnishes fine scratches closed. Those scratches are would-be crazing waiting to happen, so polishing is an important step in staving off irreversible damage to your paint-job. There are two main styles of buffers, first, there is an edge style buffer (for gelcoat only!) and then there is a rotary or “pad” style buffer. I recommend a pad-style buffer regardless of the paint system used on your glider. The process is safer, faster, and easy to get professional results. Strata Ultra Cutting Cream is a good buffing compound and is safe for both gelcoat and PU. It’s water-soluble, so cleanup is easy. I’d also recommend a wool buffing pad, especially for gelcoat. The wool helps build a little heat on the surface, which is good. Cotton or foam pads are not as effective to this end. If you buffed a section and the surface still feels cool, chances are you didn’t do enough. Finally, any wax is better than none, but my favorite is Scotchgard liquid marine wax from 3m.

Editors note: WX Block & Seal is designed for sailplane finishes and is known for its premium UV inhibitors.

Polish it Off

If you’re a beginner to polishing, use caution. Slower buffer speeds and respect for edges are key. If you snatch an edge, you could break a flight control, trailing edge, or even your thumb. To avoid a dangerous snatch, tilt the buffer 10 degrees so that the side rolling off the edge is the only side in contact with the surface (that’s the right-hand side for a clockwise rotating buffer, as viewed from above.) Always be aware of electrical cords and baggy clothing. Tempting as those warm sweaters may be when buffing in a cool winter hangar, they are a delicacy to a running buffer. I have been whipped by a headphone cable more than once. That stings more than choosing the wrong start cylinder at a nationals....ahem. Hearing and vision protection is also recommended!

Tips From The Pro

A few pro tips: Spread the compound over a section with the pad while the buffer is not running for less mess. Buff the compound until dry. After buffing, put masking tape over any places you intend to put wing tape before you apply liquid wax. Your wingtape will stick better, and not buzz during flight. Second, a very thin film of liquid wax is all you need. Most people goop on too much wax. I’ll wax the whole topside of a wing with only a pencil-thin ribbon of wax along the spar. Using less wax makes it dry much faster, and it’s easier to wax on, wax off. Don’t be intimidated by the process, buffing is easy to do safely with a little caution. Make buffing and waxing a part of your yearly routine, and you’ll reap the benefits down the line. Besides extending the life of your finish, it can be a great way to scratch the itch in the middle of winter. Nothing gets me more excited for strong spring thermals than shining up my ASW 20!