This week's tip comes from the new edition of Thermal Flying, the updated and revised classic from Burkhard Martens

Flying a lot is good, but it's not the whole story.

Anyone wishing to excel in any given activity must train to improve. But a person who trains with a goal in mind will improve faster than one who simply goes flying.

This is one exercise from a programme of 10 that I have developed to help your flying skills. It's designed to help you get better at thermalling.

On a thermic day, instead of simply flying at your local site, practice switching back and forth between two reliable thermals.

Climb up to cloudbase in one then glide over to the other. Repeat. Do it again, but this time leave the thermal 200m from base. Then again, but leave the thermal at 400m from base.

Continue until you are almost on the deck.

Practicing like this will help refine your skills in searching for thermals at all altitudes, and will improve your scratching skills.

Photo: www.azoom.ch