Hands off thermalling

How many gliders can be trimmed for hands off thermalling?

An instructor showed me, with spoilers open and proper
trim, the glider will stabilize in a slow descending
turn. Claimed it was good for getting out of a cloud.

Neat, but would not want to thermal with the spoilers
open.

John Jones wrote:

How many gliders can be trimmed for hands off thermalling?

An instructor showed me, with spoilers open and proper
trim, the glider will stabilize in a slow descending
turn. Claimed it was good for getting out of a cloud.

Neat, but would not want to thermal with the spoilers
open.


I have done it in the Schleicher K-6e that I used to own.
I was near the top of a pretty good thermal, fairly big. I was banked
about 15 degrees. I set the elevator trim, took my hands off the
stick and refolded my chart. I was pleasantly surprised when I
continued to climb.

There are other planes I would not ever take my hand off the stick for
a second.

John Jones wrote:

How many gliders can be trimmed for hands off thermalling?

An instructor showed me, with spoilers open and proper
trim, the glider will stabilize in a slow descending
turn. Claimed it was good for getting out of a cloud.

Neat, but would not want to thermal with the spoilers
open.


People I know who have flown a Skylark 4 state that it will happily
climb in a thermal hands off while you fold you map, eat sandwiches etc

Nick Hill

The DG-100 - just park it in a thermal and go up!

Seriously, I tried it once in fairly calm conditions, trimmed it, let go
of the stick, and I managed to gain about a hundred feet before it
started oscillating.

Claudia

Nick Hill wrote:
John Jones wrote:

How many gliders can be trimmed for hands off thermalling?

An instructor showed me, with spoilers open and proper
trim, the glider will stabilize in a slow descending
turn. Claimed it was good for getting out of a cloud.

Neat, but would not want to thermal with the spoilers
open.


People I know who have flown a Skylark 4 state that it will happily
climb in a thermal hands off while you fold you map, eat sandwiches etc

Nick Hill

John Jones wrote:
How many gliders can be trimmed for hands off thermalling?

An instructor showed me, with spoilers open and proper
trim, the glider will stabilize in a slow descending
turn. Claimed it was good for getting out of a cloud.

Neat, but would not want to thermal with the spoilers
open.

Grob Astir CS works pretty well. Passed the urination-while-thermalling
test. So does my Mosquito.
Don't try it in a Ventus =o
As for getting out of a cloud that's a benign spiral. Lots to be found
by Googling this group, but ask your instructor for a demo too.

Shawn

Shawn Curry wrote:
John Jones wrote:

How many gliders can be trimmed for hands off thermalling?

An instructor showed me, with spoilers open and proper
trim, the glider will stabilize in a slow descending
turn. Claimed it was good for getting out of a cloud.

Neat, but would not want to thermal with the spoilers
open.


Grob Astir CS works pretty well. Passed the urination-while-thermalling
test. So does my Mosquito.
Don't try it in a Ventus =o
As for getting out of a cloud that's a benign spiral. Lots to be found
by Googling this group, but ask your instructor for a demo too.

Oops TIA. S/he did demo it.

Shawn

John Jones wrote in message ...
How many gliders can be trimmed for hands off thermalling?

An instructor showed me, with spoilers open and proper
trim, the glider will stabilize in a slow descending
turn. Claimed it was good for getting out of a cloud.

Neat, but would not want to thermal with the spoilers
open.

My ASW 19b and ASW 28 will thermal hands off for several turns. Only
works for smooth thermals not the more typical rowdy tight cores of a
strong Arizona day.

The full airbrake, hands and feet off controls, descent is known as
the benign spiral. Does not work in all gliders so try it before you
use it in a real descent emergency.


Andy

On 22 Apr 2004 11:16:50 -0700, (Andy Durbin)
wrote:

John Jones wrote in message ...
How many gliders can be trimmed for hands off thermalling?

An instructor showed me, with spoilers open and proper
trim, the glider will stabilize in a slow descending
turn. Claimed it was good for getting out of a cloud.

Neat, but would not want to thermal with the spoilers
open.

My ASW 19b and ASW 28 will thermal hands off for several turns. Only
works for smooth thermals not the more typical rowdy tight cores of a
strong Arizona day.

The full airbrake, hands and feet off controls, descent is known as
the benign spiral. Does not work in all gliders so try it before you
use it in a real descent emergency.

Indeed. I found out that the ASW-20 has a 20 second phugoid when
trimmed at 50 kts, clean at zero flap. I didn't notice the height
variation, but the speed excursion is +/- 5 kts and its stable - once
the phugoid is established in smooth air it doesn't increase or damp
out over about 10 cycles. I haven't tried other trim speeds and was
using my feet gently to stay straight, so I don't know if a spiral
would have developed or what happens at other trim settings

I must try the benign spiral next time I'm out with height to spare.
What sort of speed is recommended?

--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie
gregorie : Harlow, UK
demon :
co : Zappa fan & glider pilot
uk :

During Gary Osoba's first flight in the SparrowHawk, he flew for 10
minutes hands off, including entering and centering two thermals.

Also in the SparrowHawk, I find it easiest to use the pee-bag while in
a thermal, as long as it is a nice big smooth one.


John Jones wrote in message ...
How many gliders can be trimmed for hands off thermalling?

An instructor showed me, with spoilers open and proper
trim, the glider will stabilize in a slow descending
turn. Claimed it was good for getting out of a cloud.

Neat, but would not want to thermal with the spoilers
open.

(Doug Taylor) wrote in message . com...
During Gary Osoba's first flight in the SparrowHawk, he flew for 10
minutes hands off, including entering and centering two thermals.

Also in the SparrowHawk, I find it easiest to use the pee-bag while in
a thermal, as long as it is a nice big smooth one.

Yeah. Those small, textured bags can be a real distraction ;-).

Mike