Finding Energy Lines

Energy lines, you have read about them, pilots talk about following them. But what are they talking about and how do I find them?

Basically, we are just looking for organized lift that is linked together to form a line. Sometimes it is straight but many of the times it snakes through the sky. Normally this energy line is formed by the wind or terrain.

The terrain is the easiest to visualize. Let's say the thermals are leaving the ground from the hilltop. Then you take into account the wind drift and you find the thermal. As you cruise along you would follow the ridgeline and try and connect those thermals. Even if the ridgeline is not following directly along your intended path. You might follow it even if it is at a 30-degree deviation.

I had a new student last week who I am converting from the power world. We found a thermal at the base of the mountain which has a 6-mile ridge-line to the tallest part. He easily followed up the spine of the mountain in-lift most of the way. Once I told him to turn around he did and headed straight home with a 20-degree deviation from the ridge-line and we fell out of the sky at a performance that resembled an anvil.

Most people have seen a cloud-street. They are easy to visualize where the lift is, and more importantly how we can connect the lift and fly a long distance without turning. This took me years to understand but the same thing happens on blue days.

To help with this visualization the next time you see a cloud-street, figure out why it is orientated in that direction? Is it because of the terrain or wind? What is the wind doing at different altitudes, including above the thermal height? So the next time you are cruising under a cloud-street think about the factors (wind) that are forming it and why it is forming, not just following the puffy clouds. Because on a blue day with the other factors the same you will have the same streeting.

I have mentioned before when I leave a thermal I will sometimes head upwind first on the roll-out, if it is streeting this may lead me down a blue energy line (typically they align with the wind).

 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.