Task for your next flight · Episode 03
Predict before you turn
Choose three likely thermal locations before flying, then compare your expectations with what you find.
Searching for thermals can begin before launch. Try connecting sunshine, terrain and wind into a specific prediction, then check it during your flight.
When to use this task
When you can plan your route around the terrain and conditions, with sufficient height and a safe onward plan. Do not search aggressively close to terrain or head towards a location that does not fit your safe flight plan just to complete the exercise.
Practice drill
- Before flying, choose three specific places where you expect a thermal: for example, a sunlit slope, a forest edge, a field, a ridge or a boundary between different surfaces.
- Whenever your flight takes you towards one of these places, ask yourself before arriving: “Where exactly do I expect the thermal, and where is the wind likely to move it?”
- Fly through the area as you normally would. If you find lift, try to centre it. If not, continue with your normal safe plan.
What to observe in flight
- Did the thermal appear where you expected it?
- How far had the wind displaced it?
- Did birds, other gliders or cumulus clouds support your prediction?
- How often could you predict the lift before the vario beeped?
Reflection after landing
Which prediction was most accurate, and what specifically helped me anticipate the thermal correctly?
What success looks like
You do not have to get all three locations right. The aim is to gradually build a picture of how sunshine, terrain and wind relate to where you expect thermals.