Practical XCSnapping the Rubber Band

Waypoints● Anxiety● Challenges● Preparation● Planning● Leaving the Nest● Lift● Speed to Fly● Goals and Tasks● When to turn around

● When to give up● The Landout● Flight Computers● Position Reporting● Seen from the backseat● Ground based exercises● Air based exercises● Final Tips● Resources

Anxiety● It's Normal● Minimize, don’t try to eliminate● How?

● Skills: landing, wind detection, thermalling● Weather and forecasting● Friends for retrieve

Challenges● Long distances without a motor?● Extremely brain intensive● High rate of decision making over long periods● Complex chess game ● Requires thinking multiple moves in advance● Always having backup plans● Situational awareness and observation

Preparation - Scientific Method● Soaring is science

o With a dash of luck and some faith● Hypothesis - There will be a thermal at that peak

o Because: Sun, Wind, Clouds, etc...● Test: Fly to that peak● Results: lift/no lift● Evaluate results

o Wind, sun, cloudso Timing? Sometimes you are just early/late in a cycleo Positioning - too far upwind/downwind

Preparation - Your Trailer● Tow car ready (keys present, gas full, gas money)● Road ready

o tires in good shapeo lights work, registration currento everything secure (tools, doors, equipment)

● Tidy● Tools and equipment for derigging● you know how to rig and derig with this trailer

Preparation - Your Glider● Comfortable

o pads, pedals, positiono you need to be able to fly for 3-5hrs comfortably

● Relief system● Water, food, stuff accessible● Batteries, equipment, good to go

Preparation - You● 2+ hr flights normal● Thermal Skills

o Comfortable in tight thermalso Optimizing climbs (seeking the core)o Predicting sources of lift, not just luckyo Aware of wind and drift, using that to find lift sources

● Wind Detection - surface winds are most importanto ponds, dust, smoke, drift in thermalso birds along ridges far below

Preparation - You - 2● Landing skills

o Comfortable using any runway.o Left/Right cross is no problem, always on centerlineo minimum energy touchdowns

● Radio skills - phraseology, comfort level, awos, ctaf● Landout Kit (water, tie downs, blanket, signal mirror…)● Crew retained

o Buddy up, have backups

Preparation - You - Tools● Flight recorders

o XCSoaro portable handheld GPSo phone/tablet w/gps with IGC recording softwareo Nanoo See You Mobileo Oudieo Glide computer in the glidero … Lot’s of options

Preparation - You - Debrief Tools● Debrief Tools

o OLC onlinecontest.org - webo See You, IGC Replay - PCo GammaFV - Mac

● Performance parameterso average climb rate - higher is bettero # thermals - lower is bettero % circling - lower is bettero effective L/D or efficiency - higher is better

Planning● Have routes in mind, scope them out● Weather - pick a good day, don't wait for epic

o clouds? great!o lift to 7k in the mountains, 5k in the valleyo light winds, decent convergence forecast

● Peers - fly when others are flying● Coordinate retrieve buddies● Launch time? turn around time if coming back?● Goals? Minimums? Successful Outcomes?

Planning - Goals and Timelines● Goals

o How far?o What turnpoint(s)?

● Launch time?o When will it be good enough to go?o Work backwards from when you need to be back.o Do you have enough time?

● Turn around time if coming back?o Just a little bit farther… Great way to land out.o Winds? Headwind or tailwind going home

Planning - Minimums and Success● Conservative minimums

o I won’t go on final glide without 1000ft over pattern…o I won’t thermal below 1000agl, I will commit to land.o I won’t go over unlandable terrain without fields 10:1

or less away…● Success

o Safe landingo Convenient landing locationo Completed my task

Leaving the Nest● Myth: There is only lift around the gliderport● Truth: In the same airmass, the lift will probably be

pretty similar.● Myth: I have to get to 8k at Avenal before I can head

out.● Truth: You only need to keep a safe conservative glide

to a good landing.● Myth: The best path is a straight line.● Truth: Rarely is the best route directly on your course

Leaving the Nest 2● Head out a little bit. ● Get a thermal, head a little farther, no thermal, come

back.● If one path doesn’t work, try something different.● At some point, you will be unable to glide straight back

to Avenal. You’re now going XC.● Losing glide to Avenal is snapping the rubber band. ● There is a freedom that comes with being beyond glide

of the home airport. Enjoy it. Settle into the rhythm.

Lift - Finding Thermals● Know the surface wind, know the sun angle● Look for wind shadow areas with direct sun● peaks with multiple gullies/spines● ridges perpendicular to the wind● tractors, farm houses, cattle troughs, small ponds● Start your search downwind of a suspected trigger● Track along ridges, closer to the front as you get lower

Wind Shadows and wind flow

Multiple ridges/gullies -- EL5

Multiple ridges/gullies -- EL4

Track towards ridge face with loss of height

Lift - Working Thermals● Primary lift source for XC● 270 entry to compensate for cruise speed● Centering

o 40-45 degree banks, consistent bank angleo consistent airspeedo small adjustments 1-2 seconds of reduced bank

● Get ambidextrous left/right turnso ridgelineso other pilots, you can’t always turn the way you want

270 Entry from cruise to thermal

Inconsistent speed/bank

inconsistentbank or speed

Consistent bank and speed

Small adjustments

6 second correction

2 second correction

Lift - Convergence● Not a continuous line of lift● A line of occasional lift and often much stronger and

higher reaching thermals● Follows ridgelines, pushes farther down valleys● Think of water flowing and being divided by ridges● Can be more turbulent. Mixed up, confused thermals● Half up/half down● Little to no wind on the ground● Often can be run along for miles without circling

Lift - Ridge and Wave● Ridge not used for XC typically (out here)● Wave - XC possible. Adventurous in the blue. ● Wave is where you find it.

o Often can thermal into waveo Will influence thermals. damping them or improvingo 15kts of wind is plenty for some wave events

● Lenticulars often just look like a line of cu from below● Regularly spaced lines of cu across the wind might be

rotor cu if downwind of a trigger

Speed to Fly● Keep it simple 3 main speeds (low, med, fast)

o known as block STF● Increase to cruise speed in your last thermal turn● Slow down in extended lift lines● Slow down for lift, not for expected lift● Speed up in sink● Speed up in a headwind if on a final glide● Resist the temptation to extreme porpoise

o usually less efficiento erratic if you are flying with people

Goals and Tasks● Start small. Triangles around the airfield that keep you

within glide of Avenal are excellent training tasks.o practice glides, thermal entry, thermal prediction

● Build up to longer and longer flights. ● Do laps of shorter courses, use fewer thermals, skip

thermals● Silver distance.

o Avenal to Lost Hills. o Avenal, Orchard Peak, Old Coalinga 50km leg...

When to turn around● Often we fly out-and-return. ● Have a turn around time. Respect it.● Have a final glide height and distance in mind based on

the day. ● Have a sense of when the day will die● Have a sense of if the day is as forecast (some days go

long, some die early, be aware of how it is trending)● Know if you will have headwinds or challenges to expect

on the run home. (crossing 41/46 valleys)

When to give up● Never give up, never surrender !!!WRONG!!!● Set conservative minimums, adhere to them● As you start to sink out, identify specific LZ options● Do not focus on landing until you need to. ● Move towards LZs, seeking lift of course● If it is an airport, switch to that frequency, broadcast

position and intention (5H 1 mile west, maneuvering) ● Stay situationally aware, stay focused on finding lift

while you are above minimums.

The Landout - off airport● At 1000ft you should be at your LZ.● wind, slope, obstacles, backup plan determined● Fly around your field as you start your approach. View

from all sides.● Look for poles, you likely won’t see power lines● Look for fences or lines of taller weeds, dirt built up● Slope? Land uphill. Favor uphill over into the wind in

most cases.● Other risks? Squirrel holes, livestock, pipes, obstacles

The Landout - off airport part 2● Fly a normal pattern, most accident reports don’t start

with “The pilot flew a standard pattern…”● Keep your pattern wide enough. Give yourself room and

time to see things and adjust.● Touch down at minimum speed. Airbrakes mostly

closed if length isn’t a factor.● Brake firmly to stop quickly. Wings level till stopped.

Assuming landing into the wind.● Breathe, relax, take a pic(of the clouds in the

background), your crew will come get you

Flight Computers● Why Last? You need to be able to fly XC without one.● Everyone uses them. Greatly reduces mental load.● Get one. Oudie or Dell Streak. Run XCSoar for free.● Learn it by simulation and playing back flights● Learn how to ignore it.● Set it up so you touch it as little as possible● They lie! They know idealized performance. They

know circling wind. They don’t know what you might see out the window.

Flight Computers - Tips● Track Up Cruise, North Up Circling● Long Track display● Wind Drift off (especially for wave)● Wind speed/direction● Distance/bearing to waypoint● Thumb Rule: Use MC4 as a safety factor, fly slower. ● Double check winds before final glide● Monitor glide trends

o glide getting better or worse

Position Reporting● Callsign, Altitude, Distance, wpt, Bearing, Heading

o 5H, 6500ft 22 miles NW Avenal, northbound● Refine for more precision as required

o 5H, 6400 22.4 miles from Avenal bearing 300, northbound

● Use GPS waypoints● Use unmistakable landmarks● If you can see a landmark, you aren’t over it● No position report is probably better than a bad one.

Ground based exercises 1● Always be scouting landout locations● Driving along look at fields.

o Could I land here?o How would I approach?o Slope? Prevailing winds? Obstacles

Ground based exercises 2● Radio calls● Practice out loud, in the car, in the shower

o Avenal traffic, glider 5H entering left downwind runway 31, Avenal

o Coalinga traffic, glider 5H on a 3 mile 45 for left traffic runway 1, Coalinga

o Get used to the key phrases and timing

Ground based exercises 3● Watch birds

o Thermalling, gliding, hunting, landing, taking off.o How does a hawk hunt? hint: usually into the windo How does a hawk on glide from the top of a thermal

look?

Seen from the back seat - Thermals● Poor speed control (aka pitch)● Constantly decreasing bank angles● Cross controlling● Lack of coordination● Death grip on the stick● Not speeding up before exiting lift● Staying too long when already high● Not developing a plan while circling

o Suddenly at cloudbase without an idea

Seen from the back seat - Glides● No plan● No backup plan, no backup to the backup● Wandering, getting pushed around● Not flying the right speed● Always turning one way● Death grip on the stick● Not using trim● Anti-STF, slow in sink, fast in lift

Air based exercises 1● Fly with purpose towards a point

o Note if the air is trying to knock you away from your intended point.

o Lean into lifting wings● Don’t let the air decide your path● Have a reason for going to that point

o I saw a bird or a dust devilo Sun and wind favor that slopeo The terrain is just like where I got my last climb

Air based exercises 2● Determine 3 speeds to fly based on

o Weak lift, good lift, strong lifto When leaving one thermal, fly your speedo Make it easy on yourself. 55/65/75 o Based on the polar of your glider and your wing

loading● When in doubt, don’t slow down

o Porpoising often less efficient

Air based exercises 3● Don’t waste time searching if you are high

o If you think you hit a thermal, start a turn, if it fades, roll back on course or try chasing it the other direction a little ways.

o Don’t throw good altitude away on a bubble● Build your confidence in finding other lift

o Leave before it gets too weak.o Speed up in lift before exiting the thermal

Final tips● When in doubt

o A few knots faster is better than a few slowero A steep bank is better than shallowo A safe landing is better than risk taking

● Practice on every flight● Debrief every flight, even if it is just mentally

o How would you have improved things?● Apply the scientific method to finding lift

ResourcesGoogle Earth file for Hollister waypointssoaringweb.org -- turnpoint filesonlinecontest.org