How to SOAR WITH THE BIRDS (A guide to motor thermalling)

[@Leesbiz52]

Great stuff. Thanks for the vid. I have a Fly Products Flash Cruiser I hope to start using soon. Your video reminds me of an epic flight in my Ryan Pt-22 (many years ago). Flying from Pensacola to Orlando. Somewhere around Tallahassee a "cloud street" developed in my path. The clouds were lined up in well-defined strips for many miles. The thermals were so strong that I used them to literally surf under them for at least a hundred miles. While in the lift I'd point the nose down a little maintaining altitude. When I came out of the lift in clear air I leveled off and flew straight across the void under the next row. Crusing at cruising at 110 MPH on the straights and picked up 15-20 MPH in the thermals! A once in a lifetime experience for me.

[@Anthony_DP]

Wow😮

[@jb92563]

Congratulations Judson, you just showed the PPG world how fun and easy it is to fly midday in thermals. Its not scary at all with the right glider and some basic weather forecasting skills getting you out when conditions are nice. Its one of the reasons I became a PPG pilot, so I could motor up to where I wanted and catch a thermal on up. People thermaling will also sense they are near thermals by the smells....yes, your nose can help because what ever is on the ground, when sucked up by a thermal can be detected up high especially those cow fields where you can smell...cows. Birds are good thermal indicators but beware the bird that lures you away and then starts flapping.

[@Traylortrio]

The bird luring you away to then start flapping . I feel like this is terrifying? But i dont know enough to know, you know ? 😂

[@andrediederick3395]

"Every time you start the engine back up an angel dies" Exact words I was mumbling to myself when I saw you start the engine back up 😂

[@cappythumper514]

lmbo

[@FlyBabyFlyPPG]

Your are doing great videos full of knowledge that so many pilot need to build up confidences to fly in thermal hours. Thanks young blood

[@JudsonGraham]

Thanks Andy!

[@steveupp5539]

Excellent video Judson! 40+ years ago I was a student pilot in fixed wing gliders who got up to the point where I could solo. I really loved finding thermals and gaining altitude above my release point and gliding 'silently' for extended periods of time. Thanks for showing a part of the PPG sport that I honestly didn't really realize existed! In my mind I was thinking that PPG was a smooth air only kind of sport, but you've expanded my PPG horizon. Thanks!

[@robertworkman5620]

Love your details on the right weather conditions and equipment needed for flying in thermals. Love to hear more details on weather and equipment for paramotoring based on your experiences.

[@jamesbrindley4507]

This is an entertaining subject, I fly both PG, and PPG, but never have tried this...Keep up the good work!

[@gabrielguelfi8811]

very nice video, yesterday I decided to go out at midday and see for myself what flying in thermal conditions is like and now I cant wait to try it again, very addicting

[@eddiepreas3693]

Just discovered you. You are a smart young man YOUR a natural teacher

[@kylewolfman]

Love the touchdown true professional! Stay elevated stay safe

[@csleclerc57]

Beautiful landing, like a buzzing hummingbird.

[@madsloper]

Cool to see someone trying to thermal with a paramotor, good advice to have a reserve cause I see a lot of paramotor pilots not flying with a reserve. Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

[@JudsonGraham]

Yeah, when he was 4 🤣🤣

[@ChipotleMuncher]

The Scout-machine is alive! That 4k footage is really nice too

[@brucerideout9979]

Sweet 🥰 I had the good fortune of flying gliders in Germany in the 1970s My longest flight 45 minutes. Once over Vancouver Island I got into some thermals in my Cessna 150 I was able to soar the mighty beast from 4500 to 11500 with the engine idling. There were Eagles circling below, Best plane ride ever whee

[@verve6000]

Great video with lots to learn from, please make more thermalling content. Great to use the motor to launch, then spend hours quietly in the air playing 3D chess with the thermals, ground, clouds, birds...

[@Chris-Fennimore]

Very good info. I'm transitioning from Hang Gliding to PPG. While Hang Gliding, we always sought out thermals. I'll be in Lake Wales in a couple weeks. I hope my instructor mentions thermaling with PPG. 👍😎👍

[@KilkennyLights]

Great introduction to thermalling. So hard to learn. Well done. Ive had 10 ms up and have been inside cloud for 45 minutes in the white room. Scary. Fly safe. Enjoy

[@pauljmeyer1]

Thermalling is a great sport for e-power gliders as power can be rationed. Electric paramotors are the most reliable at restarts to get you back to your LZ.

[@wonderfulworldofWoody]

Great intro to and explanation of thermals. Top work!

[@MrCoolcool666]

If you fly through a 2 second thermal it's not really big enough to turn in, much better to get a 4 or 5 second thermal, i.e.4- 5 seconds of flying through the lift, then turn, it's a larger thermal by circumfrence! Nice video Judson!! Thanks!

[@parajerry]

As a licensed fixed-wing glider pilot, thanks for sharing this great information. I fly in Florida so I have a great understanding of thermals. What I lack is any actual experience with ridge-lift as I have never flown gliders outside Florida. I only have the book knowledge from training. As a new (in training) PPG pilot, I don't understand the fear of thermals I see in the PPG community. These are the same wings as paragliding. The only differences I see are perhaps the weight of the motor and training. It might be bumpy, but as dangerous as I see people claim...I don't think so. Landing in rotor is another thing, but way up in the thermals is great. Now, trashy wind, rotors, and turbulence are bad for all flying. It's all about understanding the environment at the time you plan to fly in it.

[@DanielJonesParamotor]

You're right, finding thermals is fun. I try and find a few when practising engine off spot landings from 500ft. Saves a bit of climb time and fuel.

[@lindens4044]

High quality content, Judson. Keep 'em coming. I am just getting into the sport and power thermalling (or power ridge lift) is probably what I'll end up doing the most, so I'm happy to see someone cover this topic. As I've asked around, people are typically, "well you CAN do that, but why would you?." I appreciate the "purity" aspect of unpowered flight, but that motor is certainly comforting when it gets down to it.

[@Efntodd]

That was pretty cool. Digging the ppg thermal tutorial 🤙

[@YalvacliDelikurt]

Super educational video judson and entertaining. But those pink socks wooohooo😅😅

[@mochamon]

Your videos are getting really good! Nice work. Hope to see more motor thermalling in the future. Well done.

[@simco75248]

Really interesting.

[@RunIntoTheSkyNonprofit]

Great video man... awesome landing and controlling your wing

[@MarkLoves2Fly]

Remember to follow the "Cloud Street ", that's a great line of lift. Just skirt the outer edges to avoid, "Cloud Suck". Getting sucked into a cloud is dangerous. Great Video B ro! (>* Woo Hoo!

[@577buttfan]

Could you explain more about cloud street sir?

[@MarkLoves2Fly]

@@577buttfan Sure! Look at 10:39 in the video. Just in front of Judson's nose is a classic cloud street, (The line of clouds all in a row.) This is where the lift can be found to be nearly continuous. It's similar to "Ridge Lift", in that it follows in a line, but is different in that it is not as reliant on the wind velocity. When gliding, if you get under one of these, you can go from cloud to cloud, not losing any altitude or perhaps even gaining altitude. This in theory would work both with, and without an engine. The L/D specifications of your wing will have an affect on your ability to stay up for the long run, but it is a fantastic way to get distance, without power on your back. :)

[@MotoFlyGuy]

something I want to get in to more. thanks for the video.

[@SkidzFPV]

Pretty cool, where there is strong lift there will also be strong sink near by, and vice versa, something else to keep in mind.

[@johngemmi3576]

Nice video Judson!! Each video gets better and better!! Keep it up

[@hendrikhanso]

That was very cool

[@Parahooners]

Superb video Judson! Loved it and learned loads. 😊

[@LeoFPV]

You weren't kidding, colours are fire

[@JudsonGraham]

Ayeo! Yeah dude getting it dialed. Really happy with the in-flight looks

[@keithgrey]

LOL, just saw this again and heard your intro commentary. STILL FAH! It always amazes me the confidence that my generation attaches to their opinions. Please assume that most olds have suffered way too many head injuries since we come from a time of Lawn Darts after dark and zero bike helmets, worn by any of us,,,

[@brenthollady]

I see your using a high hang point can you talk a little about that? What is a high hang point good for compared to bars? Less weight shift more stable? Does it flatten out the turn for more lift?

[@eddiepreas3693]

Lol love your video great Job.

[@kiwilife3789]

Sweet info bro.

[@stangshorts2504]

Very interesting and well explained video dude!

[@sillstars]

I subscribed and increased my average climb rate with 200 feet/min, 5/7 pilots would recommend this channel!

[@fobio2101]

I watched this video with my mom in the room and she doesn’t think you’re not wearing pants while you’re flying 😂

[@JudsonGraham]

Or am I.

[@OzChan]

Who wears pants when they fly?

[@michaelkennedy2528]

Auxiliary wind indicator, compass pointer. lol

[@MarkLoves2Fly]

LOL, He's NOT wearing pants, he's wearing shorts! 🤣😂

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

Cool breezes on a hot summer day.

[@bethanywalker5653]

awesome

[@CalebHaines]

Awesome vid brudda! I wonder if the haddy will thermal with the flaps in....

[@LocoFox]

LOL, Judson is clueless but at least he admits it. For me it's scary not to be able to feel the thermal hit with the rigid frame of a PPG, the reason most PG pilots will not PPG in the middle of the day. A thermal can hit without warning and quickly throw your wing below you if you don't catch it. I've experienced it many times flying PG. Last week I had half the wing collapsed down around the lines. Needed to weight shift and pull the stabio line to untangle the wing while I was climbing at about 2 m/s with half a wing inflated, at low altitude. Can't imagine the result would have been so good if I was stuck in a rigid frame that could catch the lines. Anyway, if you're in lift turn, stronger lift - turn harder. It was killing me to hear the vario singing and watching Judson fly right through it. More so than when he killed the angel!

[@friedclutch97]

Liked the video. As an aircraft pilot and aspiring paraglider pilot I noticed that you're thermaling/chillen at the approach/departure end of a runway. Maybe the camera angle made it look that way. Even a brightly colored wing is hard to see in an airplane. We're fast and hyper focused on the runway. Anyway I'm sure you guys plan your flights with that in mind. I was nail biting a little seeing that you were in that position.

[@maddoxtom]

Great video, as a paramotor guy getting into free flight this is very helpful, been thinking about doing this for ages. I was thinking electric paramotors would be awesome for this as you don’t need so much power.

[@TheOffCycle]

Free flight will RUIN your motor launches. Its sooooo much easier especially from declined launch areas. After a month of free flight i blew 5 no wind motor launches in a row.

[@SharkyintheSky]

Thanks for the tips!

[@johnskees9823]

Great vid man !!! Really makes me wanna get up there !!!

[@maxjewell]

Haha, I just ordered a paramotor, and you touched on my main concern, the cheating/angel killing aspect ... the guilt really. I will say I am excited to explore and scout out some local thermal triggers and peak-to-ground glide prospectives to return later without the motor but am afraid the guilt of cheating will eat at me. And with my lack of skills, some angles will def be going down! Better them than us I suppose ;) Flying a 2-stroke, I just hope they don't get the last laugh or have to shift into guardian mode after our good-humored insults. Have fun buddy!

[@maxjewell]

I find it surprising more people don't motor up and go for some epic cross countries, knowing they have the backup of a motor if / when they need it. Maybe that takes too much of the purity out of it, but that's certainly something I am looking forward to ... free flying in areas that would not normally be accessible (to me at least) without a motor to get there.

[@ParamotorSteve]

Nice lesson! Thank you for sharing. New subscriber

[@yfz450manny]

Nice vid! Very informative! 👍🏼👍🏼

[@johnyogiburr2881]

Excellent video dude, informative, entertaining, inspiriational. Your getting good at this shit. You need Merch !!!

[@DavidGarthe]

Great video Judson!

[@jwburton]

Nice content! Thanks for the tips ;)

[@CaptainMedoc]

Hello Judson ! Could you please share a link for the microphone you use to record yourself when flying ?

[@homezero]

I too have been curious regarding thermalling and wondered why it was not covered much in other vids. Well, I did figure out you don't need to thermal with a motor. I get that. Of course when paramotoring you try to fly when there are no thermals for safety. I may have answered my own question. But aren't wings designed more for paragliding? Hey, What cameras do you fly with?

[@grejen711]

@15:00... sometimes that bird exits the thermal to go get lunch. Be careful following them.

[@zskygujarat]

What if we find or fly in a thermal at low height? Should we slow down engine or speed it up?

[@N2LOGIC]

FIRST! :D Love your videos man!

[@Michael-xz8tp]

is this with the mojo power or just the mojo? also, does it matter?

[@mowtivatedmechanic1172]

I’m learning PG for the silent flight but my instructor is pushing a tad for me to learn PPG too.

[@OzChan]

Thanks for this. I've always been curious about thermalling with PPG... PS. Watching you from Melbourne, Australia.

[@OzChan]

@Dale Worthington Aussie Aussie Aussie!

[@michaetsully87]

Judson great video. Just curious what are the tell tail signs mid day thermal flights might not be safe to attempt?

[@JudsonGraham]

Really strong winds on the ground or strong winds aloft. The perfect thermal day has no wind midday, with just gusts as thermals roll through and low low winds aloft

[@MarkLoves2Fly]

Cumulus clouds form atop thermals. Avoid taller clouds, as they carry more energy, and can pull you in. The Anvil-Shaped Cumulo-Nimbus cloud is an indication of dangerous lift, and possibly lightning. Avoid flying when you see those. Land if you are in the air, because it is best to live to fly another day. "Live to fly,and fly to live", is a good moto to follow. (>* I hope this is helpful.

[@KilkennyLights]

Nice video. You hit sink before you reach the Thermal and wing pitches forward then hits edge of thermal and goes back. Scary in spring thermals that will drop you and family.like a stone. Thermalling can be very very Dangerous. Dont play with thermals without proper training.

[@michaelkennedy2528]

Excellent video. I do have some technical questions. You chose I believe the Mojo power 26, that has a weight range of 110-130kg according to the Ozone website (www.flyozone.com/paramotor/products/gliders/mojo-pwr) with your all up weight, isn't that a little light on the loading for that wing, therefore exposing you to even more of a chance of collapse? Second, with a lighter wing loading, do you have to be ever more vigilant when entering and exiting thermals, with the uneven lifting on the wing as you mentioned. Third, Is it better to be slightly overloaded on the wing when doing thermal flying, if so, what percent would be the target that you would suggest?

[@JudsonGraham]

Its best to be at the lighter side of the loading for thermals. We are less concerned about handling and more about how slow we sink. Bigger wing goes down slower. I think I explained min sink in the video. Also jomo medium weight range is 80-130kg which puts me around 50 for the ppg weight rating and only 5kg under the pg weight max. The lighter loading will make me more prone to colapse, but if it does colapse the results are less violent. At the end of the day it's a super forgiving wing, it still flies when you pull a full frontal 🙃.

[@michaelkennedy2528]

@@JudsonGraham Good deal, would love to see more of this type of video from you in the future. Thanks.

[@kwwkjock]

what can we do to capture that energy?

[@mechanicandskills7215]

i hope you get that guitar tuned 11:00

[@jellyfishtacoz2647]

ay where'd u get that shirt i need it

[@fredsmith2299]

Birds know how to find thermals ... they just poop and see which way it goes ... I love to watch some of the larger birds soaring for hours and never flapping wings ..... they just sit there .... bet their eyesight is keen ... I know by looking at the top of my white car they have good aim ...

[@robertamuse]

What app or vario u using

[@alexchilders]

What app are you using for the vario?

[@jamiestotz2516]

Can you feel the temperature change as you go in and out of a thermal?

[@JudsonGraham]

Not usually.

[@markjohns4696]

Well, you can sometimes. The thermal is like a fountain, ie gushing up in the centre and flowing back down at the sides. The centre is kinda normal temperature, but the sides are cooler as they are cooled air ( from up high) descending back down. This means you usually get an acceleration and sink as you fly through the edge of the thermal, followed by a pitch up and surge of lift as you enter the middle. Another cool / weird thing I used to love was that sounds get carried up in the thermal, so you can sometimes hear people talking or dogs barking at like 2-3000ft! You also get smells, everything from cow shit to smoke from fires etc.

[@stuartbattleground2540]

Do a video thermally the viper 5 .

[@JudsonGraham]

Okay!

[@joshperryppg]

Hey man, you're doing it wrong. You don't know what you're doing, you don't know the first thing about thermalling. You don't even understand the purity of paragliding. Every time you start the engine back up an angel dies.

[@JudsonGraham]

Dammit i knew this would happen. 🤦‍♂️ nailed it bro.

[@aviator]

bahaha!

[@chuckeelhart1746]

Did Tucker Gott have a child? Dude sounds like acts like and looks like him ....

[@JudsonGraham]

I think the sound has a lot to do with the microphone

[@f.n.schlub]

I can't follow you on insta. You must have been moulting or something.

[@JudsonGraham]

Lemme fix that for you

[@f.n.schlub]

@@JudsonGraham Still no change. :-/

[@kwwkjock]

that's kinda weak