Word of advice on making use of thermals?
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Word of advice on making use of thermals?
I've never flown a (sail)plane, that's still a dream to come true. In the mean time Condor should suffice
Taking of and landing isn't a problem (I've flown many hours in flightsims) but taking advantage of the thermals gives me trouble (and no, I haven't done the flight school yet ).
What I've read and heard is that a good thermal is quite violent, in the sense that once you enter the thermal it's like being in an elevator.
Only when I enter a thermal in condor (locating them with 'h') not a lot happens. Sure the vario meter tells me that I ascend a little, but I'm out of it in no time! No turning upwards in any case...
Surely I must be doing something wrong!? Maybe someone could be so nice and write some lines about using the thermals more efficiently?
Thanks in advance,
Henk
Taking of and landing isn't a problem (I've flown many hours in flightsims) but taking advantage of the thermals gives me trouble (and no, I haven't done the flight school yet ).
What I've read and heard is that a good thermal is quite violent, in the sense that once you enter the thermal it's like being in an elevator.
Only when I enter a thermal in condor (locating them with 'h') not a lot happens. Sure the vario meter tells me that I ascend a little, but I'm out of it in no time! No turning upwards in any case...
Surely I must be doing something wrong!? Maybe someone could be so nice and write some lines about using the thermals more efficiently?
Thanks in advance,
Henk
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Hi Henrik,
As Ventus2CX said, you need to be turning tight circles (>45 degrees of bank) round the core.
After finding the thermal and turning in it, the most important thing to use a thermal efficiently is speed control, try keep your speed a steady 50-55 kts (assuming you are using imperial measurements). If your nose is going up and down (and the speed is changing as a result), you will quickly move away from the centre of the lift (where it is strongest). As a rough general guide, you should fly at around the same speed whilst thermalling as your aircrafts best glide in level flight, so in a Discus 2 about 54kts and you can check this in the technical details for each aircraft. Using the trim can help enormously here...
The tutorial on thermalling in flight school should give you a better idea of what you should be aiming for.
Cheers
Jamie
Edit: I just looked at the thermalling tutorial, it gives an excellent demonstration of what is required
As Ventus2CX said, you need to be turning tight circles (>45 degrees of bank) round the core.
After finding the thermal and turning in it, the most important thing to use a thermal efficiently is speed control, try keep your speed a steady 50-55 kts (assuming you are using imperial measurements). If your nose is going up and down (and the speed is changing as a result), you will quickly move away from the centre of the lift (where it is strongest). As a rough general guide, you should fly at around the same speed whilst thermalling as your aircrafts best glide in level flight, so in a Discus 2 about 54kts and you can check this in the technical details for each aircraft. Using the trim can help enormously here...
The tutorial on thermalling in flight school should give you a better idea of what you should be aiming for.
Cheers
Jamie
Edit: I just looked at the thermalling tutorial, it gives an excellent demonstration of what is required
Jamie Denton
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk
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Ventus, Jamie
Thanks for the reply - and you're right the tutorial does give a good demonstration.
I probably go in the thermal way too fast (I'll change to imperial next time I start the sim). As a result the nose goes everywhere So I'll try and take it a little easier next time and I will take the LS8 (thanks for that tip Ventus).
I'll let you know how it turned out...
Henk
Thanks for the reply - and you're right the tutorial does give a good demonstration.
I probably go in the thermal way too fast (I'll change to imperial next time I start the sim). As a result the nose goes everywhere So I'll try and take it a little easier next time and I will take the LS8 (thanks for that tip Ventus).
I'll let you know how it turned out...
Henk
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Guys,
This is Cool!
Still not as smooth as I would wish for - but hey that's what training is for
I circled around a thermal and gained quite a bit in height. It was a mild (light red) thermal so after a while I aimed for a more stronger one. Unfortunately I couldn't get into the lift. Anyway, I landed safely so I can try it again
Ventus, I have a logitech wingman and I use the slider for trimming. Do I assume correctly that I should trim the plane 'nose up' while in a thermal?
Regards,
Henk
This is Cool!
Still not as smooth as I would wish for - but hey that's what training is for
I circled around a thermal and gained quite a bit in height. It was a mild (light red) thermal so after a while I aimed for a more stronger one. Unfortunately I couldn't get into the lift. Anyway, I landed safely so I can try it again
Ventus, I have a logitech wingman and I use the slider for trimming. Do I assume correctly that I should trim the plane 'nose up' while in a thermal?
Regards,
Henk
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Well done!
Hope to see you racing online sometime
Hope to see you racing online sometime
Jamie Denton
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk
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I never could get the hang of GPL... I generally end up as a smoking wreckHenk Ensing wrote:Well, if you have GPL and VROC installed that could very well happen
Jamie Denton
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk
thermieken
hoi Henk,
als je in het echt thermiek aanvliegt, zul je eerst merken dat je sneller gaat dalen omdat je eerst door de daalwind buiten de opwaartse stroom moet. Meestal: hoe harder je eerst daalt, hoe beter de bel is.
Als je vario stijgen aangeeft (eigenlijk al als ie steeds minder dalen signaleert) ga je langzamer vliegen, 90-110 km/h als je dan echt stijgen ziet (in t echt voel je dat natuurlijk ook) even wachten en echt max 90 gaan vliegen. Omdat je een bel 99% van de tijd nooit recht aanvliegt zal dan (in het echt tenminste, maar volgens mij in het spel ook) of de linker, of de rechter vleugel omhoog gaan, daar waar het centrum/meeste stijgen zit.
Zodra je vleugel omhoog gaat, meteen vol (nouja, veel want meestal moet je tegen de thermiek in drukken) rolroer die kant op dus die kant op gaan draaien.
Als je dit goed doet zit je 90% van de tijd direct goed gecentreerd in een bel en dat scheelt tijd, dus punten.
succes
als je in het echt thermiek aanvliegt, zul je eerst merken dat je sneller gaat dalen omdat je eerst door de daalwind buiten de opwaartse stroom moet. Meestal: hoe harder je eerst daalt, hoe beter de bel is.
Als je vario stijgen aangeeft (eigenlijk al als ie steeds minder dalen signaleert) ga je langzamer vliegen, 90-110 km/h als je dan echt stijgen ziet (in t echt voel je dat natuurlijk ook) even wachten en echt max 90 gaan vliegen. Omdat je een bel 99% van de tijd nooit recht aanvliegt zal dan (in het echt tenminste, maar volgens mij in het spel ook) of de linker, of de rechter vleugel omhoog gaan, daar waar het centrum/meeste stijgen zit.
Zodra je vleugel omhoog gaat, meteen vol (nouja, veel want meestal moet je tegen de thermiek in drukken) rolroer die kant op dus die kant op gaan draaien.
Als je dit goed doet zit je 90% van de tijd direct goed gecentreerd in een bel en dat scheelt tijd, dus punten.
succes
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Thermals
I found a good link with pictures related to thermal centering and soaring advice
https://ntc.cap.af.mil/ops/DOT/school/N ... niques.htm
https://ntc.cap.af.mil/ops/DOT/school/N ... niques.htm
Jamie Denton
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk