Gaggle
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September 05, 2024
One of the crucial skills in gliding is naturally to be able to thermal in rising columns of lift. This allows us to extend our flights by tapping into the energy of Mother Nature. However, as we know, thermals often attract multiple gliders, creating crowded and complex situations in the sky. To ensure safety and efficiency, it’s essential for us all to establish some sort of thermal etiquette.
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June 01, 2023
For quite a considerable time now, soaring pilots have found it beneficial to fly in the company of others, competing teams have certainly found this to be a highly effective method in order to maximise their climb rate, and for others, a great way to enjoy the company of their soaring buddy too!
Whether we are in a competition or not, many people have a competitive
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June 02, 2022
One of the best things that can happen to us whilst we are climbing, is to be joined by another glider. Better again if it’s a similar type as the one we are flying, and a pilot of a similar or better standard than ourselves. This rings true when both pilots know how to take advantage of one another, and can see each other all the time. Why is this true? Because we are able to compare our
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June 17, 2021
A necessary skill of soaring is being able to thermal efficiently in the company of other gliders, sometimes there is only one thermal within your glide range, otherwise, the alternative is to land. Quite often on blue days, the best thermals will be marked by others, if you are to avoid these thermals, you’ll give yourself a handicap. This article aims to introduce how I enter a thermal with
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October 24, 2019
Last week I talked about where to look when thermalling, but the main emphasis was on scanning and using the nose as your primary instrument. This week will be an emphasis on how to incorporate that and not trade paint with anyone. I know everyone’s favorite racing movie is Days of Thunder, thankfully car racing is not like racing gliders, and there should be no rubbin, no bumping, no nudging, no trading
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June 07, 2018
Going into the last day at the 2010 WGC I was in the top 10. Ron Tabery and I were flying very well together and our scores proved it. It was pre-start and probably 20 Minutes before our thought about start time. I was on the top of the gaggle, let’s say 500 ft below cloudbase... but I was on-top and it was glorious. Ron was right below me and all we needed to do was wait. However, the entire open
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September 07, 2017
While you are thermalling be predictable. No erratic movements. No fast changes in direction. At the same time, no change so slow that the person behind you cannot see what you intend to do. When you roll out you want the person behind you to understand you are leaving and not just widening the thermal which they might follow.
Look to
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August 31, 2017
While you are thermalling, you want to be predictable. No erratic movements. No fast changes in direction. At the same time, nothing so slow that the person behind you cannot see what you are intending to do. We all know you should keep your head on a swivel. You want to pay attention to the sailplane ahead of you and follow them while also looking inside of the turn to see if someone is there. You
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August 24, 2017
Do not be intimidated. With new students, there is one glider circling and they want to run the other way, while I am telling them to aim for the glider. Visualize their circle and merge into it just as you would merge onto the freeway. The concept is the same with 1 glider or 50.
However, 50 leads to other problems. It can get very inefficient and hard to get away from once you have joined. -
August 10, 2017
One of the most common safety issues that come up at contests is gaggle etiquette. At the JWGC 2015, my brother Boyd was the Club Class Safety pilot. His most common "chat" with offending pilots was their inability to safely gaggle fly. Many were being very aggressive trying to gain a few extra feet by compromising safety.
Aggressive gaggle flying is when you cut off another glider in a thermal