This week's tip is from Thermal Flying by Burkhard Martens

Jocky Sanderson compares thermals to a rising tablecloth in his excellent DVD Performance Flying.

If you fly directly towards the centre then you'll note an increase in speed as you are sucked in.

Flying alongside, you feel a side pull to the centre. If you follow this pull, and turn to go with it, then you'll usually find the thermal core.

Initially a thermal often has a strong drift component, which only reduces higher up, when climb rates increase.

Mountain thermals also pull to their cores but, due to the relief below, the large drift component at the bottom is often less.