Some Soaring Questions I Have.

[George]

Hey guys I was wondering if any of you could help answer these
questions.

What the proper speed to fly is when passing through lift without
wanting to stop and work it.

When trying to land in rough air should i go faster or slower?

What effect will being underweight have on the control of my glider?

Where the strongest lift is under a cloud. Is it towards the top?

Thanks in advance

George

[Mike Lindsay]

In article . com>,
George > writes
>Hey guys I was wondering if any of you could help answer these
>questions.
>
>What the proper speed to fly is when passing through lift without
>wanting to stop and work it.
>
You want to go as slowly as possible, to maximize the time you are in
lift.
>When trying to land in rough air should i go faster or slower?
>
Faster. A rule of thumb, set up a speed about a third more than stalling
speed, then add half the wind speed. That way if there is a sudden lull
in the wind you'll still be able to land without problems.

>What effect will being underweight have on the control of my glider?
>
If you mean YOU are underweight, the controls will be a bit more
sensitive. But I suggest you check weight and balance with your
instructor.
>Where the strongest lift is under a cloud. Is it towards the top?

Depends.. As so many things in this mad sport. Generally the lift is
easier to work the higher you go. Sometimes the lift is stronger nearer
the sunny side of the cloud, sometimes the shady side.

Where are you intending to fly, George?
>
>Thanks in advance
>
>George
>

--
Mike Lindsay

[Doug Hoffman]

George wrote:
> Hey guys I was wondering if any of you could help answer these
> questions.
> What the proper speed to fly is when passing through lift without
> wanting to stop and work it.

The technically correct answer can be somewhat complex. Things like
MacCready theory and whether you are wanting to optimize speed or glide
the furthest given your altitude come into play. In general you want
to slow down in lift. No slower than minimum sink. Don't be afraid to
pull up hard in strong lift.


> When trying to land in rough air should i go faster or slower?

Faster if you think you might get "gusted", i.e., airspeed might
suddenly decrease significantly due to disturbed air currents.


> What effect will being underweight have on the control of my glider?

If underweight means you, the pilot, are below the minimum placarded
weight for the glider it could kill you. This is a center-of-gravity
(CG) balance issue. Being too light will move the CG aft. A CG that
is too far aft can lead to a glider that cannot be controlled safely.
A stall/spin is event becomes more likely and may not be recoverable.

> Where the strongest lift is under a cloud. Is it towards the top?

That varies and usually depends on the wind direction and how close you
are to the cloud. You may find that *if* there is lift near a cumulous
cloud it is towards the upward side. In the US class G airspace you
should be no closer than 500', 1000', or 2000', under, over, or to the
side of a cloud, respectively.

Regards,

-Doug

p.s. Don't fly a glider unless you have been properly trained. It
sounds like you have not received training.


> Thanks in advance
>
> George

[HL Falbaum]

Are you trying to answer test questions, or are you trying to really learn
soaring? Are you trying to sort out the usually conflicting hangar flying
questions?

In soaring---"It depends--" is the usual correct answer, but it drives
beginners and intermediates crazy! This is not an acceptable answer on, for
example, the Bronze badge test. The FAA Knowlege test computer has no room
for it.

That said,--here goes---see below

Good luck on your never-ending soaring education

-
Hartley Falbaum
DG800B "KF" USA


"George" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hey guys I was wondering if any of you could help answer these
> questions.
>
> What the proper speed to fly is when passing through lift without
> wanting to stop and work it.

Slow way down. McC theory says the optimum speed can be less than Min Sink
under some conditions. The FAA and Bronze Badge says Min Sink. These speeds
do not take into account of what happens next. You don't want to be caught
going slow in the sink that surrounds the lift, and it is costly of height
to accelerate after getting into the sink. So, a practical compromise is
about Best L/D, and gentle S-Turn while in the lift.
>
> When trying to land in rough air should i go faster or slower?

Gusts come from all directions--from behind, they kill your airspeed, and
maybe you.-So you want to go fast enough that a "negative" (from the rear)
gust won't get you stalled. Speed up --fly Best L/D plus one half the total
wind--i.e. wind is 10G15, and L/D is 55 kt, you fly 63Kt (55 + half of 15)
>
> What effect will being underweight have on the control of my glider?

If you mean "light but legal" the glider will be more pitch sensitive, and
performance speeds are reduced slightly. The ratio is the sqrt of the
reference weight to the sqrt of the flying weight. If you mean under the
legal limit, then you have a big problem, well addressed by the other
posters.
>
> Where the strongest lift is under a cloud. Is it towards the top?

I suspect you mean "under the highest (tallest) part of the cloud"--if
so ---yes. The darkest, flattest part of the bottom is a good bet. The
upwind edge is a good bet. The sunny side, especially if it is also upwind
is a good bet. Some clouds lie through their teeth.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> George
>