vario

If you’ve ever watched a glider gracefully manoeuvre through the sky, or you’ve just started your life’s soaring adventure you might wonder how they or we manage to stay aloft for so long without an engine. One of the key tools that we use to help us as glider pilots achieve this beautiful feat, is called a variometer. In this article, I want to describe in simple terms how this clever device works.

I started gliding through my family, and since solo I’ve been flying for 24 years now, amassing 3500hrs soaring experience. So many tips and tricks I’ve learnt along the way, in this article I plan to share with you some random experiences and thoughts on them!

Clear your head

When it comes to going cross country, it really helps to have your head clear of any doubts, because then you are really

I've been flying with LXNAV's new HAWK vario system. To explain really quickly, it isn't a Total Energy vario. It works like this: if you can model the performance of the glider, and you can keep track of the attitude and airspeed, then you know what the resulting flight path should be. Now watch what the real flight path is. The difference between the model and the reality is the movement of the

Ask G; "My variometer doesn't seem to work correctly.  How do I check the system?    Maybe the newest pressure transducer variometers with wind gust algorithms have better results?" 

Go back to basics for a moment: remember that a pilot should be able to discriminate between going up because he's in lift, and going up because he's pulled the stick back. That's the point of the Total energy

Welcome to the new series of newsletter articles by the author of The Soaring Engine books, G Dale.  This series is titled "Ask G" takes your questions directly to G for answers to be published in a future article.  What's your question?  Curious about soaring weather?  Glider fundamentals? How does a particular instrument work?  Sailplane preparation?  Something else?  Let us know, send

Real-time Wind Indication

For the glider pilot, it is essential to know how the air mass is moving in its surroundings. Today's TEK Varios work very well for measuring vertical airmass movement if the airplane's speed is approximately constant, e.g., when circling.

As important as the vertical movement of the airmass is the horizontal component, which we commonly refer to as wind. Especially in mountain

You have just invested in your new to you, pride and joy.  It could be a pre-loved Libelle, it could be into a syndicate, or if your stars and hard work have aligned, a new-new toy!  One of the things that help all of us enjoy a great and/or fast flight, is a nice panel – dedicated to your requirements and liking.  I have put my father through four new panel builds over my time, each and every