thermal centering

Simple rule for centering in thermal's best lift : When the vario bips quickly, open the turn (A), when vario bips slower, tighten the turn (B). Or with other words : When "Lift increase bank Decrease" (A) and/or when "Lift decrease bank Increase" (B).
Some more explanations cause of comments : 1. Firstly, this video is not in scale (although this could be a real case...), just demonstrates the above "principle". 2. First 4 turns are in the wrong direction regarding the choice pilot makes... That has been made in purpose for demonstrating the efficiency of this simple rule !... But if you make the wrong direction turn, don't feel in dispear : just turn 270o & then go straight as long needed to encounter the thermal again ! Besides, even if you make the wrong direction turn, most of the times is better to turn in same direction & not invert. This way, you wont get disorientated regarding the postion of lift (thermal - this is a second basic general rule...). 3. Finally, the choice of which direction to make the 1st turn, depends on visual (sloap) & feeling clues. It's waste of time (as in this diagram) to turn to the opposite direction of the side of the wing that you feel more pressure at break handdle and/or lifting of your harness side...
When you are confident that you wont miss a thermal if you encounter one (since you know what to do as explained by this simple rule of thumb), you begin your flight with what it needs for it to be a great one !... ie. Confidence.

[@saildapper2001]

As a pilot who constantly misses thermals, but is a master at circling in sink (possibly world-class), I found your video terrific! Thanks for sharing!

[@lindsaywootten9127]

Not completely upside down Greg! Yes, once you find the core you can turn tightly but when looking for the core it is correct to open out the turn (i.e. fly straighter) in stronger lift and then turn as the lift starts to decrease. This video demonstrates for inexperienced pilots that if that is all you do, you should eventually find the core. Of course, experienced pilots will sense which side the stronger lift is, turn that way and get to he core more quickly.

[@Highrockman]

If it took me that long Id miss most of them!

[@BillPalmer]

I’m much prefer to tighten the turn in the good lift (right after the surge is felt) and shallow slightly in poorer lift. That will widen the turn to put me deeper into the thermal. Steep bank means “I want to stay here”

[@Kenneth617A]

Thank you for making this diagram, I like it and your description of the rule for centering.

[@LSVFlachkurbler]

the problem is that there is a delay in your vario so making the turn tighter when the vario signal gets smaller is to late always. Its better and faster to tighten your turn at the point where the vario signal is not increasing any further you keep that steep bank for a while and then gradually open the bank, this also happens bevore you get another increase because reducing bank when the vario signal increases is also to late.

[@icerinkdad]

For the folks commenting that the thermal would "move on" that isn't quite the case. Thermals drift downwind. Unless you are working at staying over the same spot you drift downwind too. Once you find a thermal generally you can stay with it. It is just a matter of finding the lift (if a fixed wing craft when turbulence lifts a wing turn into the lifting wing). Eventually the thermal will become weak as it is no longer being fed by the heated air near the ground where it initially forms

[@atreyyu]

very good demonstration, bravo xpelekis !

[@yoshyoka]

this was very nice! It would be even more realistic if you would make a similar diagram but respecting the almost 2 sec. lag which most of variometers have. Can you try it? Maybe even with a more "realistic" thermal shape (the core not exactly at the center. It would be very interesting to see (and I admit I am not able to do it). Good video!

[@miguelbecerril56]

Skywalker Exactly! If you are under 500m better try to look for vultures, or another glider instead...

[@k1ng401]

checked out your video. This one explains things better and can be easily remembered and implemented. I don't think this was designed with sailplanes in mind since it comes from a book on paragliding and hang gliding.

[@mksonicpops]

@xpelekis Great diagram, especially for low time pilots. You may want to re-name it "boxing the thermal" Just like boxing the wake. That would help shut the high time knuckle heads up! I know the drill.., I flew this regiment while constantly turning away from where I knew the core was, I drew closer and closer inward... and when I got to the core we had a perfectly clear idea of the overall size of the thermal mass. The passenger/low time pilot in front- full visual, beautiful thing.

[@petethewrist]

So much easyer to just say: "Lift increase bank Decrease" and/or "Lift decrease bank Increase" It works every time. and as for the drwing of the charts, well you do this in your head on the day...Cheers all, Pete

[@xpelekis]

Exactly ! This diagram, that I spent more than 6 hours to make, demonstrates the worst choises from the pilot and still he makes it to the core because he follows the simple thermalling rule that this diagram presents and was enspired by the book Thermal Flying. Comments are welcome, impoliteness is not.

[@carot2003]

Thank you, excellent video. Very helpful..

[@drumatic86]

my rule is more simple, if your left riser twitches make a left circle, if your right riser twitches make a right circle

[@2BrothersWorld]

Concuerdo con tu logica. Los giros contrarios hacen que pierdas altura facil y velocidad .

[@axesquare]

Hey this is a very informative video... @some people : U can receive information n use it to your advantage instead of criticising.... or make a better video if u can as a response...

[@Maverickf22flyer]

Very good explanation of thermal centring, but taking into account the ratio between the thermal's radius and the lowest and safest turn radius depending on a given glider, the thermal should be very large..., so this method won't be very useful to rookies on low radius thermals!

[@federpito123]

Después del primer viraje por derecha, y sentís ascenso en tu semiala izquierda, el segundo viraje sería hacia la izquierda, acercandote más al centro, y bueno, ahí si centrar más rápido...

[@aabmaabm]

What the equipment used to detect thermal like in the video.the sound very intreseting

[@ndaksh007]

Just love the sound of vario... :D

[@garrettraiden1229]

@Jose Elisha Definitely, I have been watching on instaflixxer for months myself :)

[@AlbertoNicas]

Parte de razon llevas pero esa tecnica en parapente es una locura, cuando entras en termica si te levanta la vela del lado izquierdo giras a la izquierda, si haces el giro hacia fuera lo que haces es entrar en la descendente de su alrededor, perdiendo mas altura y muy posiblemente pierdas la térmica. En un RC no se porque nunca he volado uno, pero dudo que se pueda saber si has entrado por un lado u otro pues al ser tan pequeño se levantara entero y no de un lado.

[@miguelbecerril56]

miguelbecerril56 One major drawback to this video is that the path of the glider is not at scale; In real life the turning radius of the glider is about the same size of the thermal. If you draw it at the right scale, this technique does not work so well. It would work with a paraglider, but hardly with a modern, fast glider. Please check my video "Centering a thermal". Normally the thermals are centered in the first or second turn. If you can't do it, probably the thermal has been lost...

[@bisfal]

thanks for the video

[@gustavotopfly]

Muito Bonito aí no desenho, mas na realidade não é assim... nos 2 primeiros giros você já pega a descendente rodando pro lado errado! Seria muito mais óbvio girar para o lado em que está a térmica. Enquanto você gira estas 249 vezes a térmica já acabou, Sentir a térmica na mão e ouvir o vário ainda é a melhor forma...

[@dhillmjex1]

wouldn't you turn into the lift. I mean rather than doing a 360 in sink. I use an old friends method. if it takes 3 sec to fly through your 360 then if you feel lift a 3 count should get you back to that lift. always turn to the lifting wing.i found it works great. thanks for sharing your thoughts. it's all good stuff.

[@xpelekis]

Very Good ! I will add it to video description.

[@gcoutdoors904]

soo...... its kinda like you build a fence around the thermal then once you know where its edges are you then start to use it for lift. right????????????

[@weazelz]

is this a joke? turn towards the rising wing, into the core. what's the point of turning *out* of the core for repeated 270's?

[@JefSilv]

Uma vez que o apit aumento não deve-se sair do giro

[@AlbertoNicas]

No vale para esa técnica, desde cuando se gira hacia fuera una termica???

[@hargreavesjn123]

@xpelekis its constructive criticism

[@2BrothersWorld]

No soy experto, pero me llama la atension dos cosas. Primero la demora en hallar el vorde de la termica, en un RC planeador no llegarias nunca , las termicas son muy volatiles y cambian muy rapido, y segundo , porque siempre el giro es a la derecha. Que se busca enfrentar el aire o que te empuje a fin de cuentas la termica asciende.O estoy muy equivocado. ?!!!

[@spiraldive2]

You turn *into* ther thermal for better lift.Only turn away if it is crowded with other paragliders. :)

[@shadeburst]

The biggest mistake I've seen in gliding videos here on KZbin is pilots chasing the vario. Even with the very latest instruments there is a vario lag and I've seen so many pilots lose a good thermal from second-guessing the vario and correcting too often.

[@tomview1]

What happened to turning into the lifting wing?

[@lautoka63]

Speaking as someone who's never, ever managed to turn away from the centre of the thermal (cough)

[@hristoquadrifoglio6488]

it just does not work ;)

[@tasi0000]

Hey, what about the other rule of thumb? Count to three :)

[@Superphilipp]

I don't think you become an experienced pilot by learning it completely backwards though. OP, I appreciate your hard work, but this is a very ineffective method of centering a thermal. You waste much time doing unnecessary turns in the SINKING air around the thermal. Also thermals tend to dissipate so the aim should be to center as quickly and effectively as possible. Gliding students should learn the signs by with they can tell the position of a lift zone relative to them as soon as possible.

[@g0bi]

beeeeep beeep beeep beep beep beep... KABOOOM!

[@PetrPolach]

This is the worst desition scanario that you can ever choose. The best chice is to feel which side the thermal is truning you and just go angainst to get inside of it! Then use your sences and vario to center the core.

[@MrPyroflight]

U feel the thermal under you wing so you dont make 270 turns while searching...

[@romulopio]

fino

[@Ripstop_pilot]

8 turns? the thermal would have moved on before then.

[@claudioalobitzki2670]

SHOW

[@janeqmx]

This is crap diagram after two turns right only fool will try another 2 in the same direction. Thermal does not stay forever.

[@miguelbecerril56]

@janeqmx