you are low. If you see the plane falling off on one side of the
turn, move your circle over into the stronger lift. Thermals
move along with the wind so as you circle you will be swept
along with it. Be careful when thermaling, that you don’t get
so far downwind you can’t make it back to the field to land.
If the electric sailplane is flying along straight and all of a
sudden turns, let the plane continue to bank (you may have
to give it some rudder to keep it banking) until it has turned
270-degrees (3/4 of a full circle). Straighten out the bank
and fly into whatever turned the plane. If you encounter lift,
and you won’t every time, start circling just as you did when
flying directly into a thermal.
Thermals are generated all day long, but the strongest
thermals are produced when the sun is directly overhead.
10:00 am – 2:00 pm seems to be the best time to get those
“killer” thermals. Some of these thermals can be very large
and you may find it hard to get out of them. If you find
yourself getting too high, don’t dive the plane to get out of
the lift. Sailplanes are very efficient aircraft and they will
build up a lot of speed and could “blow up” in the rough air
of a thermal. The easiest way to lose altitude is to apply full
rudder and full up elevator. This will put the plane into a tight
spin that will not over stress the airframe but it will enable it
to lose altitude very quickly. This is especially helpful if the
sailplane gets sucked into a cloud or it gets too high to see.
The twirling action will give the sun a better chance of
flashing off of the wing and catching your attention. When
you are high enough and want to leave the thermal, add a
little down trim to pick up some speed and fly 90 degrees to
the direction of the wind. If you are not real high and want
to find another thermal, you may want to look upwind of the
last thermal. The same source that generated this thermal is
probably producing another. Just watch out for “sink” which
is often found behind and between thermals.
As you might expect, with all this air rising, there is also air
sinking. This air is the electric sailplane pilot’s nightmare that
can really make soaring challenging. “Sink” is usually not as
strong as the thermals in the same area, but it can be very
strong. Down drafts of many hundreds of feet per minute
are common on a good soaring day. These down drafts can
make a sailplane look like it is falling out of the air. Because
of this, it is important that you do not let the sailplane get
too far downwind.
When encountering sink, immediately turn and fly 90
degrees to the direction of the wind (towards you if
possible). Apply a little “down elevator” and pick up some
speed to get out of the sink as fast as possible. Every second
you stay in the sink is precious altitude lost.
Pay Attention!
– Pay close attention to the electric sailplanes
flying before you, watch them and try to establish where
and when the thermals are being formed. Thermals are
often formed in cycles and can be fairly regular, so if you
keep track of the time intervals you will have a pretty good
idea of when and where a thermal may be generated.
Watch The Birds!
– Thermals suck up small insects that
many birds love to eat. A bunch of swallows flying around
in one area may indicate a thermal. Soaring birds (hawks,
vultures, eagles etc.) are the best thermal indicators. They
not only show you where the thermal is but they also show
you where the center is. These “Masters of the Sky” will
often fly right along with electric sailplanes.
Practice Those Landings!
– Most thermal contests are won
or lost during the landing. Establish a particular landing
pattern and try to stick to it for all landings. Learn to shift
your pattern to account for the wind and the particular
flying field characteristics.
Concentrate
– Keep your eye on your electric sailplane
during your contest flights. Have a helper or your counter
watch the other planes in the air. Sometimes your electric
sailplane will wiggle so quickly or gently that you may miss
it if you are not paying close attention. If you find a
productive thermal, don’t leave it because your helper tells
you that someone else has found a different one.
Know Your Electric Sailplane!
– Learn what your electric
sailplane will and won’t do and fly within this envelope.
This will allow you to ride thermals downwind while
knowing when you have to head back to make your landing
safely.
Learn From The Wind!
– Keep track of which way the wind
is blowing. If the wind suddenly shifts, there is some thermal
action fairly close to you. The air is probably being either
sucked up into a thermal or falling out of some sink. In
either case it is often a good idea to fly in the direction the
wind is blowing if your sailplane is in the general area. This
will take you towards a thermal if there is one or away from
the sink, both of which are desirable.
Have a ball! Remember to always stay in control and
fly in a safe manner.
POINTERS FOR CONTEST SOARING
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