AIR_Manual_506a_ENG_rev_1.pdf
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6.13
LAST THERMAL POSITION, DISTANCE & HEIGHT INFORMATION
The data: direction “BRG T”, distance “DST T” and altitude gain “A3” are displayed when a thermal is detected.
The thermal’s core position is graphically shown (regarding our current position and in scale) with a “T” inside
the Thermal Plotter and in the Thermal Assist instrument as well. Keep in mind that when you use the Circular
Compass instrument, the two inner circles also contain the Thermal Assist instrument.
To recognize a thermal, this function uses the VARIOMETER SETUP \ n. 17 THET parameter where the lift’s
minimum duration is set (seconds); the AIR is programmed to differentiate a thermal from gliding in a good line.
6.14
THERMAL ASSIST
It consists of a graphic instrument that uses two concentric circles and a round
icon (letter “T” for thermal) to help you better center the core, taking into
account the possible thermal’s drift.
The center of the circles represents our current position and the “T” is the
location of the thermal’s core; therefore, we know where to look for it.
We can also customize the scale of the “Thermal Assist” instrument in order
to have a better idea of how far away we are from “T”; when “T” is in the
center of the 2 circles, we are in the core!
This instrument can be moved on the screen (using AirPages) with a maximum
outer diameter of 128 pixels and 40 as a minimum; default 84 pixels.
This instrument includes the "Thermal Assist Zoom Level" parameter
(VARIOMETER SETUP \ n. 19 THEA) from 1 to 20; default is 5 mt/pixel
meaning that the first circle has a 100m / 330ft* radius, and the second
circle a 200m / 660ft* radius.
Keep in mind that the “Circular Compass” instrument, movable on the screen
(using AirPages), includes the “Thermal Assist” instrument as well, which is
located on the first two circles.
6.15
THERMAL TUTOR
The thermal tutor is an innovative function capable of helping you center
thermals by drawing their track on the “Plotter Instrument” using lines with
variable thickness to provide strength information: the thicker the line, the
better the climb. You will see a black circle with a “T” showing you the point of
maximum climb; this way, finding the core of thermal, becomes very intuitive.
The track on the plotter is drawn with a zoom factor (auto-zoom); each time
that you change flight situation, from thermalling to gliding and vice versa.
It switches from gliding mode to thermalling mode when it feels a new thermal
for more than x seconds (VARIOMETER SETUP \ n. 17 THET); default=2
seconds and if you make a turn to fly into it.
When this happens, the plotter cleans up and zooms to the maximum level of magnification defined by
parameter VARIOMETER SETUP \ n. 18 THEZ “Thermal Tutor zoom level”, assigning a scaled value in mt to
every pixel on the screen (default 1mt/pixel).
It switches from “thermalling” mode to “gliding” mode when you fly “straight” for more than x seconds defined
