On Sep 30, 3:19*pm, John Cochrane
wrote:
I posted a new article on the theory of course deviations.

http://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/john...ndex.asp#maccr...

or directly

http://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/john...ocs/deviations...

(If the links don't work google john cochrane soaring and you'll find
it under MacCready theory)

I'll try to get some magazine to publish it. Comments and improvements
welcome in the meantime. Yes, the daydreaming about soaring at the
office season has begun

John Cochrane
BB

Hello John:

I am sure that you will have no difficulty finding ready publication
for the paper, which in my opinion is the most important one you have
written in this genre. I did a similar analysis several years back to
quantify the key relationships. Some of this was shared in lectures
given at SSA Conventions and EAS (formerly SHA) gatherings in the late
90's and early 2000's. Themes & phrases such as "When Slower is
Faster" and "The Shortest 'Distance' Between Two Points is
Convoluted"- not implying curved space/time and speaking
metaphorically about "distance", of course. :-)

Whereas MacCready theory as normally applied matches cruising speeds
for straight glides in response to variable air masses, the approaches
your paper explores introduce what is often a more useful variable-
that of the varied course line. The other grand regime for piloting
strategy in a discontinuous atmosphere is dynamic maneuvering. This
places the focus on when, how quickly, how frequently and in what
manner to make changes from one cruising speed or another and one
heading to another, optimized to harvest energy or minimize it's
losses. This strategy, for example, could allow for counterintuitive
results when applied to Graph 1 of your paper with Pilot B arriving at
his destination much more quickly than Pilot A when dynamic
maneuvering is properly applied. This assumes that both pilots had a
*reason* to make deviations where they did, according to your paper's
impetus.

As usual, you have written in a clear, concise, and cogent manner.
Again, I think this is the most important and useful paper on soaring
strategies that you have addressed and wish to thank you for taking to
time to do it and sharing it as you have. Bravo, John!

Best Regards,

Gary Osoba