Constant speed or constant attitude?

"Martin Gregorie" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 10:53:46 -0700, Eric Greenwell
wrote:
snippage
Rising air comes from beneath the wing, and increases the AOA.

Kindly draw the vector diagram before continuing. You'll see that the
sinking speed velocity vector points down and the rising air vector
points up. Simple vector addition says that the rising air velocity is
subtracted from the sinking speed because their directions are
opposite.

Martin, you are using the wrong frame of reference. The "sinking speed
velocity" you are using is relative to the ground. Relative to the glider,
the air it is sinking through is rising past it. As the glider flies into
"lift" (relative to the ground) the vertical velocity of the air rising past
it is _increased_ by the velocity of the lift. So the AOA is increased
momentarily.

Tim Ward