You should go through pre-landing checks when you are close to the airfield before you enter the circuit in order to reduce the circuit workload. The preferred pre-landing checklist at Deeside Gliding Club is the same one used by the RAF GSA - acronym WULFS:
| W | Wind & Water |
Wind: determine the speed & direction and
choose an appropriate circuit & and approach speed (check the wind
sock). Water: dump any ballast if it is being carried |
| U | Undercarriage | Check Down and locked (if not fixed down) |
| L | Landing area & Lookout |
Check the intended circuit path and landing area are clear and decide upon a contingency if the default runway is blocked. |
| F | Flaps | Set for landing |
| S | Straps (Security) |
Check harness straps and cabin are secure with no loose objects |
Radio: As you enter the circuit at the high key area you should call the airfield on the radio to announce your intention to land. E.g. "Aboyne, Yankee Lima downwind left-hand". In this example, 'Aboyne' is the airfield name, 'Yankee Lima' is the call sign of one of the training gliders (registration FYL), and 'left-hand' means a circuit turning to the left. You can also add the number of the runway but that is optional.
Speed: During the downwind leg you should increase speed to the approach speed you decided upon earlier, and trim the glider well for that speed. Then you should put your hand on the airbrake handle.
There are many alternative checklists. Many pilots at Aboyne use a variation on WUFSSTAL:
| W | Water | Any ballast should be dumped |
| U | Undercarriage | Down and locked |
| F | Flaps | Set for landing |
| S | Straps (Security) |
Straps and cabin secure - no loose objects |
| S | Speed | Approach speed set appropriate for the wind conditions |
| T | Trim | Set to maintain approach speed |
| A | Airbrakes | Hand on the lever (check if they work if in doubt e.g. due to earlier icing) |
| L | Lookout (Landing) |
Lookout to check the intended circuit is clear and select a landing area (reference point) are decide upon a contingency |