Today I didn't fly but I did head down to Hollister for a 1.25 hour class. Russell Holtz taught a class of 10 about Thermaling Basics. He covered the four basic skills that every good glider pilot needs to thermal successfully.
- Identifying and using thermal markers
- Selecting clouds for best lift
- Gaggle flying
- Working lift to maximize climb rate
The bulk of the time was spent on the last item. We went thru many examples to show how the simple thermaling algorithm presented in the SSA books actually works. And it does.
While little of the material was new, I enjoyed having it all in one does. Russell and Hugo (a DG-800 pilot who was in the class) dispensed some good tips and wisdom along the way.
Posted by jzawodn at May 04, 2003 11:36 PM
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