Outlandings

Sometimes a pilot on a cross-country flight finds that the weather is not as good as expected. In these circumstances, the pilot must choose a field and 'land-out'. Landing out is a routine event in cross-country gliding, though they are often mistaken for 'emergency landings'. They are entirely normal, although they are an inconvenience. The pilot has to choose from the air a field that is safe to land in and which does not cause damage to the property.

The glider and pilot can be retrieved by pilot's ground crew using a purpose-built trailer which can easily be towed by a car. Alternatively, if the glider has landed in a suitable field, a tow plane can be summoned to re-launch the aircraft (with the permission of the field's owner of course).

To avoid the inconvenience of landing out, some gliders have a small engine and a retractable propeller. Some of these engines are not powerful enough to launch the glider, but they can provide enough power to allow gliders to stay airborne and so to return to their home airfields. However, an engine has to be started at a height that includes a margin that would still allow a safe outlanding to be made, if the engine were to fail to start. Consequently gliders without an engine will sometimes be able to thermal safely below that height, find lift and continue on their task. An engine also adds to the weight and expense of a glider.