In my experience this is true only if the thermal is
smooth and uniform. If this is not the case then it
may be best to follow the surge as the glider passes
through stronger rising air. This would be indicated
by the glider accelerating, at this point you would
pitch up to your normal best bank/minimum sink speed.
When reversed the speed wants to bleed off, at that
point one would want to pitch down. The later does
not happen to often in a thermal as there is residual
positive lift. The key is to watch for those acceleration
which at times can be pronounced and one has to respond
very quickly to take advantage of that, also there
is the point of maybe opening or tightening up the
turn as the surge may indicate the centre of the thermal.

For an other glider pilot watching from an other point
of view, this may not look as pretty but it is effective.
Regards
Udo
At 14:42 04 September 2006, Fred wrote:
Adam:

In my experience, the Libelle 201 thermals like any
other sailplane,
except it has light wing loading and climbs like a
homesick angel in
light lift. The secret to thermalling that is often
overlooked in
instruction is speed control. If you're speeding up
and slowing down
you don't know where the lift is -- you just keep making
irregular
ovals in the sky. Watch the horizon and keep the it
a constant level
on the canopy. Go for it. Fred


AdamLibelle wrote:
Hi,

I have recently started flying a Libelle H201b and
I don't think I am
quite making the most out of it's thermalling ability.
Can anyone give
me any idea of the best speeds to fly in the thermal
and any other
useful info.

Adam