How to Find a Lost Thermal
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thermal 180

Going back to find a thermal is always very difficult. It is generally in the opposite direction you want to fly and trying to find it sometimes takes a superhuman power of spatial orientation. A moving map is cheating, especially if it shows in green where you were climbing (like my ClearNav).

You could be like Sean...never go back. Seriously I can only recall 1 time I have ever seen him go back for a thermal he passed. It was only because the entire club class was there and I wasn't leaving.
 
A scenario that has happened to everyone.  You're on tow, you find lift, you think about it, you clear, you think some more, then release and BAM the thermal is gone. You do a 180 and.... Nothing (insert swear words here).

Where did it go? You released after you passed the thermal now you have to find it. You do a 180 but that's like doing a U-turn. Visualize doing a U-turn in your car. You are now a few lanes over, not going in the same lane you were in the other direction. The thermal is where you were but the 180 doesn't get you back in that path again.

 
We have all read about the 270-degree correction when we turn the wrong way, but that is not the case you were too slow on releasing and turning, you simply passed it. Let's discuss the lesser talked about turn, the 220-degree turn. You need to get back over and intercept your old path. You need to do this while backtracking to where the lift was.
 
You can also get into this situation while looking for a new thermal. You think you have a thermal, you wait, you think, yes, no, maybe so, THERE IT IS, wait....too late. Use the 220-degree turn to attempt to reconnect.
 
How much altitude can you afford to lose trying to find it when you don't know the thermal is really there? This is where the thought process comes in of never going back. If you didn't turn earlier because you didn't think it was there, then out of desperation you try... This is where the 90-degree turn I mentioned last week comes into play and is very important to use. You can try in a timely manner and always just reverse back on course, losing less altitude.
 
Banner Photo by Radek Krejčiřík

 

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garret willat  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.