I am not sure George was correct about Eastern pilots being better than
Western pilots. I am thinking world team pilots Bill Bartel, Gary Ittner,
Chip Garner, Sean Franke, Garett Willet, Jim Payne, Texas (known for
booming thermals) Ron Tabery, David Mockler with apologies for anyone not
mentioned. Winter flying in the west I am happy to find a 2 knot thermal or
even a one knot thermal.


I blame this branch's thread drift on the O.P.'s plethora and range of initial
questions!

Yeah - one can approach this particular question from several perspectives,
ranging from the numerical to the "purely philosophical," and arguably make a
good case regardless of perspective. I think the point I was indirectly trying
to suggest was unarguably significant to a person's ability to (most rapidly)
ascend the XC learning curve, is that lift is lift, and the ability to
recognize when it makes sense to use whatever you can find (as distinct from
ignoring all but that meeting some arbitrary personal numerical definition of
"usable lift") might well come more readily to someone who's learned in a
region prone to "crud" as opposed to "booming lift." In any event, I think
I've "generally" noticed it easier for "your average eastern larnin'" to
transition to western conditions than vicey-versy.

Everyone's mileage will vary...and all generalizations are false, including
those found herein!


Bob W.