Cross Country

SkySight is an interactive gliding forecasting tool. It combines the latest modeling technologies with an intuitive user interface, to provide high-resolution soaring forecasts and powerful flight planning tools. Simon interviews SkySight's founder Matthew Scutter posing 5 questions on recent developments. 

1.

Thermals, those invisible pillars of rising air that we as glider pilots rely on for sustenance in the sky, they are a fascinating meteorological phenomenon for us all. Understanding how thermals develop is essential, for a good flight and how long one might stay in the sport! Let's delve into the intricacies of thermal formation and explore the processes that give rise to these vital elements

In the realm of gliding, where the sky becomes both playground and canvas, the importance of hydration for pilots cannot be overstated. As gliders gracefully ride the currents and thermals, pilots must navigate not only the atmospheric conditions but also the internal dynamics of their bodies. Hydration emerges as a silent but critical companion, ensuring that pilots stay alert, focused, and in control

Thermals, those invisible columns of rising warm air, are a glider pilot's best friend.  These natural updrafts allow pilots to soar effortlessly through the skies, conserving energy, extending flight time, and distances covered.  While thermals are commonly associated with high altitudes, where they can carry us to great heights, they also exist at low altitudes, naturally, where they

Gliding is a sport that has captivated the hearts of many over the decades.  The sensation of soaring through the sky gracefully, unaided by engines or propellers, but by Mother Nature is a dream come true for many aviation-inspired enthusiasts.  To allow us to achieve this silent dance with nature and the earth's energy, one of the lift sources that glider pilots rely on, is a phenomenon

I’m writing to you from Uvalde, TX.  What a wonderful country you all have, so far we’ve experienced lovely hospitality and conditions, plus of course much much more! One of the key factors to our success so far has been that we’ve had the right start strategy, though on one day I have to admit that we got it wrong, after starting right! In this article, I hope to talk about

We start our soaring career with training flights, where the duration is rarely longer than an hour long and our early solo flights are usually less than 2hrs.  Fortunately for these flights, being hydrated before take-off, having a good hat that won't scratch the canopy, and sunscreen on exposed body parts are all that you need.  What will we need when flights start extending past these

The farm dog.  

While I'm only about 50% successful in meeting farmers in land outs, I am about 80% successful

As a soaring pilot, we are typically attracted to the fluffy clouds, ridges with wind blowing up them, and hot environments that are conducive to soaring. It’s a great challenge to always find hotter and more buoyant areas relative to others around them. But what about the areas to avoid, it’s not something that we talk about very often. So I’ll do my best to describe the areas we

My last two articles (Outlanding Techniques, Part 1 and Outlanding Techniques, Part 2) were first about low altitude strategies and then about landout field selection - so in a way, this article follows