THERMALLING

• A NECESSARY EVIL

• A CHANCE TO GET AHEAD

• A MENTAL CHALLENGE

• STICK AND RUDDER SKILLS

SO THAT’S WHAT A THERMAL LOOKS LIKE!

A MATTER OF SCALEA MATTER OF SCALE

SECONDS @ 60 KTS

00 22 44 66 88 1010

TIMING THE TURNTIMING THE TURN

• VARIO

• FEEL

• VISUAL CLUES

TURNING TOO SOONTURNING TOO SOON

TOO LATETOO LATE

JUST RIGHTJUST RIGHT

WHICH WAY TO TURN?

A B C

DAMN – TURNED THE WRONG WAYDAMN – TURNED THE WRONG WAY

• A THERMAL MAY BE APPROACHED RADIALLY A THERMAL MAY BE APPROACHED RADIALLY OR TANGENTIALLYOR TANGENTIALLY

• A RADIAL APPROACH GUARANTEES A WRONG A RADIAL APPROACH GUARANTEES A WRONG DIRECTION TURNDIRECTION TURN

• A TANGENTIAL APPROACH HAS A 50% CHANCEA TANGENTIAL APPROACH HAS A 50% CHANCE

• THE PROBABILITY OF TURNING THE PROBABILITY OF TURNING CORRECTLY IS 1 IN 3CORRECTLY IS 1 IN 3

THE FREE CORRECTIONTHE FREE CORRECTION

CENTERINGCENTERING

INITIAL INITIAL CIRCLECIRCLE

WORST VARIO HEADING

TRUE WORST HEADING

ROLLOUT HEADING

NEW CIRCLE

LANDMARK

GUSTS AND THE TE VARIO

• GUSTS CHANGE THE K.E. OF THE GLIDER

• THE TE VARIO MEASURES ENERGY

• TE VARIOS ARE GUST SENSITIVE!