Cloud Flying

Shawn Knickerbocker schrieb:

when dealing with larger and high
developing Cu?s, the seek & go method is preferred.

Never heard of this method before.

Just thermal as you always thermal: Trim the plane and adjust the
horizon as long as you circle below the cloud and then just don't stop
at the base but let you suck in. Keep centering as usually, just use the
artificial horizon instead of the natural, and wait until you pop out of
the top and enjoy the view. Alternatively, if you want to leave the
cloud at a choosen altitude, then level the wings (again, using the
artificial horizon) and fly the chosen heading and wait until you pop
out of the side of the cloud. Of course you need a compass for this. (A
plain old whisky compass works just fine.)

Face it, this isn't rocket science. As there is no navigation to be
done, you can (and should) fully concentrate on flying the plane. Most
of us who do this in Europe don't even have a power rating.

As for the panel: It can be done with T&B, airspeed and vario. With a
modern glider, you'd have a very hard time without an artificial
horizon, so install one. Altimeter and compass should be there, too, as
well as radio, of course. And that's it.

Of course there is some trainig needed. (Some countries even have a
training syllabus and a real glider-IFR rating.) Best is to do training
in a two seater with full panel in the rear seat. Install some kind of
curtain in the rear seat, and you have a real IMC situation. (Of course
there should be an instructor in the front seat.) Do some unusual
attitude recovery. Do some partial panel training. Be sure to fully
understand the instruments and do not only scan, but really cross check
them, because there may always develop some icing and clog the lines.
Never cloud fly it without a T&B, even if you have a horizon. (The
horizon can drift or tumble, T&B is always correct as long as it works.)

Never let speed build up. If you lose control, pop out the brakes and
let go of the controls. You will eventually leave the cloud ...
somewhere, somehow, but intact. (If the glider model is allowed for
cloud flying.)

Choosing the right cloud is critical. There should be a couple of
hundred feet of clear air below, to give you time to recover if you lose
control and fall out of the bottom. (In Switzerland, the law requires
300 meters, i.e. 1000 feet minimum, I don't know how this is regulated
in other countries.) Obviously, the cloud should be free of mountains or
other obstructions. Make sure the cumuli are isolated from each other
and stay so. Start with very small clouds, and work your way to bigger
ones. Enjoy.

Stefan