Maximizing Your L/D with Wind
For all of you following Adam Wolley's Gliding Adventures. He had a video after Day 1 at the Australian Multiclass Nationals. Interviewing Peter Temple the day 1 winner. Peter mentions his strategy to align his legs into and down wind. With a 12 kph faster speed, I think he made it work.
G. Dale has some great illustrations in The Soaring Engine volume 1 on what it will look like when the wind forms the thermals into streets. The day will do the same organization on blue days and well as cumulus filled days. If the air seems to be streeting with the wind you would want to run into or down-wind until you have lost it then head crosswind on course to try and attempt into another street where you turn back parallel the wind.
Your course line turns into a lot of doglegs as you are cruising on course. Sometimes the task setters will keep this in mind, it is especially helpful when you have a leg into the wind. If you are able to bounce along on a street without thermalling or minimal thermalling the 15 mph headwind might not really become all that painful.
On a turn area task you have more creative which means sometimes you can angle across the areas to make a more parallel leg into the wind. Let's say you are getting close to your turn towards the next leg, you might find a thermal then turn into the wind and start your next leg attempting to run that street.
Of course another tactical idea is is get low into the upwind turnpoint and turn the downwind turnpoint high. There is also the saying of getting high and stay high and the mental mindset of being at the turnpoint high is pretty significant. This allows your next turn to feel like you are racing and not about to hit the dirt.
If I was on a crosswind leg and about to turn my next leg parallel to the wind. I would hopefully find the thermal and start climbing. If I was heading downwind and the thermal was good I would take it as at least you are making the ground speed of your drift. If the next leg is into the wind I would also take the climb now. As you drift downwind at the start of the leg it will just move your turnpoint to optimize your distance. If you go a 1/4 mile then start your climb you might drift right back to where you had turned not gaining any distance advantage.
Streeting can be used to your advantage as you work parallel the wind you might wonder left and right looking for the core which is being connected by buoyant air. Crosswind legs I find more difficult because you might not really be able to use the street efficiently. However many times there is an advantage to run a little looking for the core before heading back on course. Do not forget that the sink will set-up in the streets also.
Banner Photo: Mika Ganszauge
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.
