Winter Thermal Cross-Country

[Mike the Strike]

Friday November 11th saw a cold front and low-pressure system through
Arizona that produced excellent winter cross-country conditions. The
best two flights were 440 km and 388 km (log files on OLC), probably
the latest 300km+ flights we have seen.

This led me to wonder how many sites around the world produce such good
winter cross-country thermal flights? South Africa and Australia are
two candidates I can think of.

Mike

[Jack]

Mike the Strike wrote:

> Friday November 11th saw a cold front and low-pressure system through
> Arizona that produced excellent winter cross-country conditions. The
> best two flights were 440 km and 388 km (log files on OLC), probably
> the latest 300km+ flights we have seen.
>
> This led me to wonder how many sites around the world produce such good
> winter cross-country thermal flights? South Africa and Australia are
> two candidates I can think of.

Winter?


Jack

[Shawn]

Jack wrote:
> Mike the Strike wrote:
>
>> Friday November 11th saw a cold front and low-pressure system through
>> Arizona that produced excellent winter cross-country conditions. The
>> best two flights were 440 km and 388 km (log files on OLC), probably
>> the latest 300km+ flights we have seen.
>>
>> This led me to wonder how many sites around the world produce such good
>> winter cross-country thermal flights? South Africa and Australia are
>> two candidates I can think of.
>
>
> Winter?

He uses the auto industry calender. The new year starts in September. ;-)

Shawn

[Mike the Strike]

No, I was born and raised in England where November is regarded as
winter ;)

Mike

[MickiMinner]

Mike the Strike wrote:
> > This led me to wonder how many sites around the world produce such good
> winter cross-country thermal flights? South Africa and Australia are
> two candidates I can think of.
> > Mike

What about Santiago, Chile ? GREAT soaring there, and from what I
understand legendary thermals. (and you don't have to cross the big
pond!)

[Bob Korves]

Shawn <sdotherecurry@bresnannextdotnet> wrote in
:

> Jack wrote:
>> Mike the Strike wrote:
>>
>>> Friday November 11th saw a cold front and low-pressure system
>>> through Arizona that produced excellent winter cross-country
>>> conditions. The best two flights were 440 km and 388 km (log files
>>> on OLC), probably the latest 300km+ flights we have seen.
>>>
>>> This led me to wonder how many sites around the world produce such
>>> good winter cross-country thermal flights? South Africa and
>>> Australia are two candidates I can think of.
>>
>>
>> Winter?
>
> He uses the auto industry calender. The new year starts in September.
> ;-)
>
> Shawn

I work for an International truck dealer and 2006 models were first built
on January 6, 2005(!)
-Bob Korves

[[email protected]]

Not to stray too far off topic here, but what makes for "legendary"
thermals?

I've been a glider^H^H^H^H^H^Hsailplane pilot for two years now and
have already enjoyed some wonderful thermals in the southwest (USA).
But I think I've had only a few that averaged 10+ knots for more than a
few thousand feet. (I've had a couple that averaged ~8 knots from 1500'
to 15000'.) A fellow rASAr once told me about a 30-knotter he
experienced but that was over a fire (does it count as a thermal as
long as it's adiabatic?). I've heard about 20-knot thermals in northern
New Mexico; are those rare or routine?

The best general lift I've ever experienced was under a cloud street
south of Ely. It was so strong I had to divert to the edge of the cloud
line a few times. It was the first time I got to experience a long
stretch of fighting to keep the altitude below 18,000'! Needless to say
I can't wait to visit Ely again.

~ted/2NO

[Stefan]

wrote:

> have already enjoyed some wonderful thermals in the southwest (USA).
> But I think I've had only a few that averaged 10+ knots for more than a
> few thousand feet. (I've had a couple that averaged ~8 knots from 1500'

Are you aware that here where I fly the average thermal is between 1 and
4 knots and the average working altitude something like 1500 feet? (If I
get a 30 knotter for a couple of thousand feet, then it's usually within
a cloud.) But nevertheless, we routinely fly 300 km and more.

Stefan

[Marc Ramsey]

Stefan wrote:
> wrote:
>
>> have already enjoyed some wonderful thermals in the southwest (USA).
>> But I think I've had only a few that averaged 10+ knots for more than a
>> few thousand feet. (I've had a couple that averaged ~8 knots from 1500'
>
>
> Are you aware that here where I fly the average thermal is between 1 and
> 4 knots and the average working altitude something like 1500 feet? (If I
> get a 30 knotter for a couple of thousand feet, then it's usually within
> a cloud.) But nevertheless, we routinely fly 300 km and more.

We feel for you 8^)

Best one I've hooked was 17.5 knots (measured from the IGC file) from
9000 feet (2500 AGL) to 18000 feet, east of Mono Lake on the
California/Nevada border. I've done a few turns here and there at 20+
knots, but the stronger days average 10 to 12 knots, decent days 7 to
10, and weaker days 5 to 7 knots. If it is weaker than that, you
usually can't get high enough to clear the ridges, and there are lots of
places where you don't want to risk being low. We tend to stay close to
home if we can't climb to 12000 feet.

Marc

[Mike the Strike]

Yes, Stefan, but you don't have several miles of 5 knot sink in between
your thermals either!

I was noting that at the start of our winter and the traditional end of
the thermal soaring season in Arizona, we had a couple of 300 km plus
flights the other day. I was wondering how many places in the world
have good late fall/winter thermals.

Lots of places (includng Chile) have spectacular conditions during
summer, but I was curious how many folks enjoy winter thermals?

I was driving in Idaho last February in snow showers and there were
snow devils that looked just like our summer dust devils. I suspect
that winter thermals might be more common than we think.

Mike

[[email protected]]

Where do you fly, Stefan?

I did ~200km with a < 2 knot average thermal on Friday. But I have few
landout options in Arizona ... if I'm at 1500 feet, I've long since
started to get closer to a place to land!

~ted

[Burt Compton - Marfa]

Winter-spring in Florida (go to Seminole-Lake Gliderport west of
Orlando) is actually the best soaring of the year in Florida with good
XC opportunities. Pack up your glider and reposition it to the US
"sunbelt"!

Burt
Marfa Gliders, west Texas USA
(soaring and havin' a mighty good time here, year-round)

[Martin Gregorie]

Mike the Strike wrote:
.../..
>
> I was driving in Idaho last February in snow showers and there were
> snow devils that looked just like our summer dust devils. I suspect
> that winter thermals might be more common than we think.
>
Slightly off topic, but....

Many years ago I wanted to check the still air trim of a F1A towline
glider, so when I woke up to see still air and a couple of inches of
snow I thought the time had come, grabbed the model and headed for the
park for a quick before work session. Wrongo: there were thermals a
plenty over the snow. It was fun, but the still air trimming session
didn't happen.

The park was Clapham Common. We don't get much snow in London, hence the
excitement.

--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. |
org | Zappa fan & glider pilot

[Andy Blackburn]

At 01:12 14 November 2005, Marc Ramsey wrote:
>I've done a few turns here and there at 20+
>knots, but the stronger days average 10 to 12 knots,
>decent days 7 to
>10, and weaker days 5 to 7 knots.

Wow Marc either you totally rock at finding thermals
or we have a different definition of average climb
rate. I just looked back across a bunch of flights
over the past couple of years in NV, UT and AZ and
I've never averaged over 6.0 knots. This includes a
750k (4.0kts), several 500k's (4.2-4.7kts) and bunch
of tasks in the 200-300 mile range with average speeds
of 85-97mph where the average climb never topped 6.0
knots. The best sustained thermal I've ever seen since
getting GPS is 9.8 knots average over a 5000' climb.
That was in Arizona this summer.

This is all according to SeeYou.

Post some of those 12-knot flights and I'll follow
you everywhere!

9B

[Marc Ramsey]

Andy Blackburn wrote:
> Wow Marc either you totally rock at finding thermals
> or we have a different definition of average climb
> rate. I just looked back across a bunch of flights
> over the past couple of years in NV, UT and AZ and
> I've never averaged over 6.0 knots. This includes a
> 750k (4.0kts), several 500k's (4.2-4.7kts) and bunch
> of tasks in the 200-300 mile range with average speeds
> of 85-97mph where the average climb never topped 6.0
> knots. The best sustained thermal I've ever seen since
> getting GPS is 9.8 knots average over a 5000' climb.
> That was in Arizona this summer.
>
> This is all according to SeeYou.
>
> Post some of those 12-knot flights and I'll follow
> you everywhere!

Shhh, Andy, the sources and methods for the hyper-secret PASCO marketing
plan for Region 11 have not been cleared for public discussion. All
will be revealed at the Seminar on Saturday (location: Western Aerospace
Museum, Oakland). The 17 knot climb is real, the rest, well, you should
go fishing with me sometime...

Marc

[Andy Blackburn]

At 16:24 15 November 2005, Marc Ramsey wrote:
>v The 17 knot climb is real, the rest, well, you should
>
>go fishing with me sometime...


I am biting my tongue really hard right now...

9B