Thermalling

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

Editor: In Part I, Roy began a discussion with Strategies When You Are Low. Thermalling low can be dangerous. These two articles are focused on mitigating risk and increasing your chances of climbing away from a safe altitude. Follow along as we continue to get lower...

This two-part article is about things to do (and not do) on a cross-country glider flight when you are well below your planned height band, have already selected a field or airport to land in, and are trying to stave off that landing.  Within this subject, we must talk about thermaling low, which is a very dangerous practice - especially in windy and gusty conditions. It is also a controversial

We all like a light to moderate wind day because it’s beneficial for the generation of thermals and it’s relatively predictable.  On strong wind days though, we tend to leave the hangar doors closed because they break the thermals up and can be harder to find, especially near the ground!  The good thing is that even on these days, the hot air still sticks to the ground as they

Thermals are certainly strange creatures.  One day they can be big, round, and smooth, the next they’ll be tight with multiple cores, the next day, there will be sink in the area that was constantly lifting the day before!  This can bring frustration, but also lots of satisfaction when we start to build up our experience and start to be able to harness mother natures energy to our advantage.

I have no idea why, but it’s often spoken about that the distance between the good thermals seemingly appears to be related to the depth of convection.  I say that again, the depth of convection.  This is from the ground level to the top of the cloud base, not the commonly perceived, base of the clouds which is the condensation level.  Typically, if we work on an approximation

If you’re a winch pilot, you probably know this all too well, that if you haven’t built a small plan before take-off, your flight might end up with a circuit and another launch.  For a flight to be successful we must first think about where to go once we release the cable or tow plane.

Plan before Takeoff

A pilot can train and safely fly to solo standard without learning to circle. Sure, he can turn the glider, and if the thermals are huge he can wander around in them and go up a bit. But this isn't good enough to make progress in the sport of cross country soaring. And pilots that don't make progress are likely to give it up.

The first thing I do in any

Big and high cumulus days are super fun, especially when all the ducks line up.  That’s the trick, to figure out the day's pattern so that they (ducks) do, as it is on every day and flight.  However, when we fly under large cumulus clouds, it requires a different tact at the day.  Instead of looking down, we must look up, this is to get all available cues from the clouds ahead.  The

One important aspect to either soaring in the local area or gliding across country, whether it be for leisure or for speed, its important to put all that energy you’ve just gained to good use, after all, we’ve certainly worked hard for it, why not keep some of it!  The local soaring pilot looks to retain their height gained to stay up longer, the racing pilots wants to get around the set task