Thermal
-
April 04, 2024
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
-
September 21, 2023
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
-
May 19, 2022
One of the key skills of gliding is to recognise a thermal as we approach it, there are many ways to do this with the use of ground features, clouds, off mountainous terrain, smoke from a fire, etc. Naturally, we need to find a way to recognise a thermal as we approach it.
Thermal Form
Thermals rise through
-
December 16, 2021
How do we find the best lift? Somehow or another we need to imagine or judge what the invisible world of all those air currents are doing around us and what they actually look like. How do we learn? It’s by reading every piece of literature on the subject, talking with friends, and experiencing. Analyze all the clues available to us, on the ground or air, then piece them all together,
-
September 30, 2021
In these articles I have avoided reference to specific times of the day - because so much can depend on a particular day, how far east or west you are in your time zone, and what time of year it is. In this section of the article, I define “late in the day” as whatever period your achieved climbs are beginning to trend down in strength because of lower surface heating. As this occurs you have to make
-
July 29, 2021
1. Use the First Thermals
If you want to attempt 750km or farther, then you’ll need to be taking off on the first thermals. You may spend the first hour or two below 3000’, this may mean that you can fly an extra 50km farther at the start of the day, it’s certainly better than falling short this distance in the afternoon. So practice your skills in
-
July 15, 2021
Editors Note: This article discusses flight near clouds. Check cloud clearance requirements in your country and personal minimums before attempting.
Thermal wave or shear wave as it’s commonly known as is quite reliable. They can form over an extensive area, over a single cumulus, or in the blue. The basics on how they form,
-
May 20, 2021
One thing that is said time & time again is that the greatest improvement in our achieved cross-country speed will come from increasing our average rate of climb, but how can we work towards this? Practice makes perfect of course. In all reality, once a thermal has been found and centred, most pilots will climb at around the same rate, and most gliders are reasonably similar in performance. So
-
August 06, 2020
So you've found your cloud – but what's the best way to use it?
Centering thermals efficiently, and climbing quickly, are probably the most fundamental skills you need to soar successfully. Even a small improvement in your technique could easily mean a few hundred feet in every thermal – or thousands of feet in a typical cross-country flight. Come to the end of the day, this might even
-
July 09, 2020
The art of thermalling begins well before you even start climbing, and can be divided into 2 simple phases: First of all you must locate the general area of the core; then you must find and keep the sailplane in the strongest part. Seems obvious, but to have a successful flight we must start with one of the objectives and work backward. I’ll give it my best to describe this below, once