Word of advice on making use of thermals?

Discussion related to the Condor...

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Henk Ensing
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Location: Groningen, the Netherlands

Word of advice on making use of thermals?

Post by Henk Ensing » Fri Apr 22, 2005 12:16 pm

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

Ventus2cx
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Post by Ventus2cx » Fri Apr 22, 2005 12:24 pm

Don't fly in the middle of the thermal, fly to the border of the thermal, reduce speed an circle with 45° bank :idea:

for the first flights it will be better when you fly with a LS-8 or something. Don't fly with Fox or a plane with flaps :!:

FlyingPenguin
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Post by FlyingPenguin » Fri Apr 22, 2005 12:54 pm

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 :-)
Jamie Denton
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly ;-)
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk

Henk Ensing
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:43 am
Location: Groningen, the Netherlands

Post by Henk Ensing » Fri Apr 22, 2005 1:17 pm

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...

:D

Henk

Ventus2cx
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Post by Ventus2cx » Fri Apr 22, 2005 1:22 pm

good luck :D

:idea: a little hint: try to use the trim in the termal, it will be easier to fly slowly :idea:

Henk Ensing
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Post by Henk Ensing » Fri Apr 22, 2005 1:47 pm

Guys,

This is Cool!

Still not as smooth as I would wish for - but hey that's what training is for :D

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

Ventus2cx
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Post by Ventus2cx » Fri Apr 22, 2005 1:53 pm

yes that's correct, when you trim correct the nose stays at the same level and the speed didn't change, so you can climb much better. but that's just a detail. practise the climbing and enjoy it 8)
in every flight you will be better :!:

Henk Ensing
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:43 am
Location: Groningen, the Netherlands

Post by Henk Ensing » Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:26 pm

It's good to have those red puffs going up by the way ;) Respect for all those sailplane pilots who have to do without in real life.!

Henk Ensing
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Location: Groningen, the Netherlands

Post by Henk Ensing » Fri Apr 22, 2005 11:59 pm

Wow!

I finally got the hang of it. I made a circuit (49 km) with 4 waypoints and stayed in the air using the thermals!

Thanks for the advise and motivation!

Henk

FlyingPenguin
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Post by FlyingPenguin » Sat Apr 23, 2005 12:09 am

Well done! :-D


Hope to see you racing online sometime ;-) :twisted:
Jamie Denton
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly ;-)
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk

Henk Ensing
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Post by Henk Ensing » Sat Apr 23, 2005 9:54 am

FlyingPenguin wrote:Well done! :-D


Hope to see you racing online sometime ;-) :twisted:
Well, if you have GPL and VROC installed that could very well happen :D

FlyingPenguin
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Post by FlyingPenguin » Sat Apr 23, 2005 12:30 pm

Henk Ensing wrote:Well, if you have GPL and VROC installed that could very well happen :D
I never could get the hang of GPL... :( I generally end up as a smoking wreck ;)
Jamie Denton
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly ;-)
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk

Rolo(ACS)
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thermieken

Post by Rolo(ACS) » Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:36 pm

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

FlyingPenguin
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Thermals

Post by FlyingPenguin » Tue Apr 26, 2005 1:16 am

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
Jamie Denton
Flying Penguin - Comp ID : DP Registration G-PENG
-Short stubby wings don't mean you can't fly ;-)
www.deviantpenguin.co.uk

Icebreakr
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Post by Icebreakr » Sat Apr 30, 2005 10:28 am

This could be a sticky post... vey useful for all us, soaring newbies :wink:

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