Instructions for Entering your Height Gains onto the BGA Height Ladder

(article by Tony Crowden)

 

1)     From the BMGC web site home page click on LINKS (listed on the LH side of the screen).

2)     On the LINKS screen click on the NATIONAL LADDER MAIN PAGE .

 

3)    The first time you use this screen you have to register your details so click on the green “REGISTER” button.

a)     Select “Black Mountains GC” from the list of clubs from the pulldown list, then click on the NEXT button.

b)     Check if your name hasn’t been already entered by clicking on the list of Talgarth pilots from the SELECT PILOTS pulldown list, then if it doesn’t appear enter your Surname, Forename, Email Address, and your Password (twice) and click on the REGISTER button.  This will take you to your “MY FLIGHTS” screen.

OR

 

4)    If you have already registered previously click on the red “LOGON” button.

a)     Enter your email address and password then click on LOGON button. This will take you to

        your MY FLIGHTS screen.

 

 

To enter a flight onto your personal Height Ladder:-

5)     Click on CALCULATOR from the list on the LH side of the screen which will take you to the NATIONAL LADDER CALCULATOR screen.

 

From here onwards it is intuitive if you are familiar with PC systems as the screens are all self explanatory.

 

6)     On the NATIONAL LADDER CALCULATOR screen :-

a)     Scroll through the pulldown list and select the type of glider you were flying.  The screen will display your glider’s handicap.

b)     Scroll down to the bottom of the screen to the HEIGHT CLAIM section and enter your Low and High points of the flight and click on the CALCULATE button.  The system will then calculate your gain of height and the number of points you’ve scored.

c)     Then click on the SUBMIT button to put it on your own ladder.  This will take you to the CONFIRM NATIONAL LADDER CLAIM screen.  This screen is pre-loaded with “Black Mountains (Talgarth)” as your launch site.

d)     Enter the date of your flight from the pulldown lists and the screen will return with the day as confirmation you have the correct date.

e)     Enter the REGRISTRATION of your glider in the box on the RH side of the screen.

f)       Click on the FLIGHT EVIDENCE box if you have an .igc trace for the flight.

NB Without the trace evidence your flight will not appear on the National Ladder.

g)     Finally enter any comments you would like to make about your flight (not

mandatory).

h)   Click on the CONFIRM button and your flight will be added to the list of your own     

       flights.  The system returns you to the MY FLIGHTS screen showing the latest flight you’ve

       just added.

 

NB  If you don’t have an .icg trace of your flight, this is as far as you need to go as the Ladder stewards can also see your personal flights which can be used as evidence to help save our diminishing airspace.

 

7)    To transfer your flight onto the National Ladder :-

a)     Click on the YELLOW ARROW in the GREEN square to add your .igc trace to the

flight.  This will take you to the UPLOAD LOGGER FILE screen which show your Name,  Height Gain Ladder and the Date of the Flight .

b)     Click on the BROWSE button and select your .igc trace by double clicking on it.

c)     Click the DECLARATION box to say you didn’t infringe airspace.  The screen will then display the UPLOAD NOW button.

d)     Click on the UPLOAD NOW button and the MY FLIGHTS screen will return with your flight showing on the NATIONAL HEIGHT LADDER.

 

 

 

You can go back into the system at any time and from the MY FLIGHTS screen you can:-

a)     Edit your comments by clicking on the PAGE icon.

b)     Click on the words HEIGHT GAIN to look at the .igc file and the .kml file (Google Earth file which gives a pictorial 3D view of your flight).

c)     Click on the CROSS superimposed on the CIRCLE to remove your .igc trace.( This will have the effect of removing your flight from the National Ladder).

d)     Click on the name of the .igc trace to download it to your computer.

e)     Click on the yellow/brown CROSS at the RH end of the screen to delete the entire flight.

 

 

View the BGA Height Ladder

          From the BGA Ladder home screen click on LADDERS from the LH list and the LADDERS

              screen will be displayed.  Select Black Mountains GC and the HEIGHT ladder to display all the

               BMGC claims.  Click on any of the scores shown to download the .igc and/or .kml traces.