Stay with the thermal

A few seconds of weaker lift do not necessarily mean the thermal has ended. This time, observe the whole circle and how it repeats to give yourself more information for your decisions.

When to use this task

Choose a thermal where you can maintain safe terrain and traffic separation, conditions feel comfortable and you have a safe exit option. Stop the exercise if any of these conditions no longer apply.

Practice drill

1. During one flight, choose one thermal and try to stay with it for at least three full circles, as long as the situation allows.
2. Observe which part of the circle repeatedly gives you stronger lift.
3. Continue using your established flying skills and observe whether the lift pattern repeats or changes in the following circles. Necessary control inputs and decisions to leave take priority over completing three circles.

What to observe in flight

• Where does the strongest lift appear within your circle?
• Does the core drift with the wind?
• Are you checking for traffic often enough, or fixating on the instruments?
• Does your bank angle stay reasonably consistent, or change unintentionally?

Reflection after landing

At what point did I almost leave the thermal, and what evidence showed that staying a little longer was — or was not — the better decision?

What success looks like

Measure the quality of your observation, not the altitude gained. The aim is to recognise the structure of the thermal while maintaining a calm, repeatable turn. Even weak lift can give you useful information.