Cross Country Magazine Tuesday Tip

Today's Tuesday Tip comes from Pat Dower. Pat contributes to Cross Country magazine and has his own blog about flying. This tip comes from an article he wrote called The Five Methods of Thermalling. It's well worth a read.

Prepare for Success

This is a miracle method for finding the cores in large thermals, which helps to stop you over-banking and losing efficiency.

As you fly into lift, keep flying straight. As the lift strengthens keep straight as long as the lift is even on both sides.

If the lift is stronger to one side, gently turn towards it. As you reach the peak of the lift, get ready to turn or tighten up if you are already turning.

Once the lift starts to lessen, tighten the turn; this has the effect of turning you back to the better lift. You should now be flying into better lift so open out the turn.

This stops you turning back out of the best lift.

Pat's website is at www.patdower.co.uk and The Five Methods of Thermalling is here.

See you in the air!

Cross Country Magazine Team

 

Yassen Savon en route to winning gold at the Europeans. Photo: Martin Scheel