Cloud Street and Turn Areas
There are a lot of things to remember when flying in these turn areas. Being low on the into the wind turn and high on the downwind turn, the last cloud might not work, putting all of your eggs into one basket...
Now we put these concepts into deciding where to turn in a turn area task. Before you start the flight you need to have a good weather briefing to determine where you are more likely to spend your time, ie going deep into one turn and shallow in another.
If you turn too early in an early area you might need to glide into really bad air in the next turn to avoid coming home early. Many of my first contests resulted in going to the back of the last turn area trying to avoid being under time.
Once you are out on course you need to pay attention to the entire task area because you are able to shift your flight into the stronger weather.
With a 20 mile circle, you have a 40-mile wide area to choose from. The odds are pretty good you can find some good air that way. Do not stay too focused on what side you had chosen before takeoff. The weather could change and you have the flexibility to do that. However, if you have it locked into your mind you are going to one area you might get yourself stuck.
Looking at a beautiful cloud field with plenty of options. You glide out to it, only to realize it is beyond the turn area. I now spend more time marking my map before launching so I can have an easier time looking at the ground references and cloud shadows. I also now spend more time being familiar with the geography near the edges of the turn that I think I will be.
Is it really worth that extra 1/2 mile? If I can time it right I try and make my turn in lift. Nothing is worse than hitting sink and then needing to fly back through it. So if I am getting close and I find some good air or a thermal I try and make my turn there. It will cost you a lot to have to do your maneuvering in the sink.
This is a timed task. The computer might tell you to head home based on your flying MC setting and the speed that you have been achieving. What the computer cannot do is look outside and guess what speed you will actually fly home at. Remember the final glide will increase your average speed, you also use up altitude that you have not been using which will help with that increase in speed. Some flight computers allow an easy manual increase in speed to just buffer some extra time over your task finish time. I generally plan on about 5-10min over time, on an average day.
If you have a beautiful cloud street taking you home, you might be going home at 120 knts you are definitely going to be very early if you have an MC=2 and have been averaging 50 mph. Pay attention to your distance because sometimes some simple math will clue you in on something off. 20 miles and 30 minutes to go, you will probably be under time unless you are in a 1-26.
I have followed cloud streets that arc around thinking I was gaining many more miles. Only to realize once I landed I had made a great big arc. ClearNav has a great leader line and ellipse to help you determine when to turn and to keep your direction giving you the most distance possible. I know other computers are starting to do similar.
Banner Photo: CloudStreet Soaring the American West
Garret Willat holds a flight instructor rating with over 8000 hours in sailplanes. His parents have owned Sky Sailing Inc. since 1979. He started instructing the day after his 18th birthday. Since then, Garret has represented the US Junior team in 2003 and 2005. He graduated from Embry-Riddle with a bachelor's degree in Professional Aeronautics. Garret represented the US Open Class team in 2008 and 2010 and the Club Class team in 2014. Garret has won 3 US National Championships.