Polling threads

Moderators: sg, mods

What hemisphere and what circle preference

Northern hemisphere- I prefer to circle clockwise
17
11%
Northern hemisphere- I prefer to circle anticlockwise
53
34%
Northern hemisphere- I have no preference
73
47%
Southern hemisphere- I prefer to circle clockwise
2
1%
Southern hemisphere- I prefer to circle anticlockwise
2
1%
Southern hemisphere- I have no preference
9
6%
By noman3
#112798
u circle to the side that is getting lifted the most,if im in a thermal and im circling or flying straight and a wing gets lifted abruptly,i turn to that wings side and core the core.Sometimes its a wild bull ride with only 3 turns in it but it gets me up faster.Flying in a thermal with me can be dangerous because there is no pattern to my flying but there is no pattern for how the air rises. :shock:
User avatar
By Wagner24314
#112799
:ditto:
User avatar
By redkite
#129034
clockwise, anticlockwise ?

Mostly UNwise I guess. Or I would climb faster :lol:
By noman3
#129038
Eteamjack wrote:Whats a Thermal?

its underwear you put on under your pants :thumbsup:
User avatar
By Eteamjack
#129040
Don't wear any underwear!
How am I suppose to relate?
By noman3
#129045
Eteamjack wrote:Don't wear any underwear!
How am I suppose to relate?
smoke a big joint and take a shower. :thumbsup:
User avatar
By hiflioz
#129102
BubbleBoy wrote:If you're the sort of person that is always looking to improve your performance: Whichever direction is your weakness, turn that way as often as possible until it's your strength.

You may pull off a low save someday precisely because of this practice.

JB
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Excellent advice, and it works: now I have no preference either way, both are cruisy. It's very handy at comps when they alternate left and right turn days.
User avatar
By Rod_Clark
#129849
I like to thermal the opposite direction as panty pilots.

Or at least it would seem that way... because every time I mark a nice thermal they all come over and join me, usually in the wrong direction and with complete disregard for the right of way.
By mtxcdude
#141048
I’m right handed with vario on the right down tube and I turn left or right equally. I’ve flown in both north and south hemispheres, mostly in the north. I’m not a trained scientist but do have an observation or two to add. When considering thermal rotation. The Coriolis Effect is a weak hypothesis at best. Observing dust devils and flying in strong thermals with terrestrial debris, thermals rotate in both clockwise and counter clockwise directions in both hemispheres. In a big strong thermal does it matter which direction you circle? No, you’re going up. However, in smaller thermals, you may find your turn radius at a given bank angle is not short enough to remain in the thermal for 360° consistently. You go over the falls and turn back into the thermal. What else can you do? What I do is determine (most of the time guess) which way the thermal is rotating and circle opposing the rotation. I figure circling opposing the rotation slows my ground speed in relation to the thermal rotation hence shortening my turn radius at a given bank angle. What the @#$%!! Tighter circles dude, which allows you stay in the small thermal going up for the full circle. Am I full of it, or does this actually work? I like to think it has worked for me over the years on more than several but less then numerous occasions. The key is observation and giving it a try. Before launch note the directional rotation of dust devils, birds and other pilots. You may find as I have that this technique helps in lighter conditions.
Attachments
IMGP0609c8.JPG
IMGP0609c8.JPG (3.14 MiB) Viewed 1839 times
User avatar
By fluffyclouds
#153798
it's been so long ago, i have difficulty remembering a whole lot, and because of the terrain where i did this, and the type of glider i had, i don't have that much experience in thermals, as i usually slope soared or just ground-skimmed on the bunny-hill, but i think usually tried feeling whatever direction seemed to climb the best and after settling into the rising air, i just went for it, and the few times that i did this, seemed to work ok. i honestly don't recall having a real preference towards the direction i took. i just remember one or two instances where i wanted to avoid the buzzards that were also circling about. (those birds are rather disgusting closeup, and i heard they can spew on you if you get too close. wouldn't want that!) :mrgreen:
User avatar
By OSCAR
#155648
gtpowell wrote:I'm a righty with instruments on the left (soon to be center), radio on the right, and I will circle in either direction. When flying a ridge, I will turn away from the ridge unless I'm a few hundred feet over. If I'm over and/or in the open air, I will turn toward the wing tip that lifts first and/or lifts higher.


:ditto: Except for instruments on the left .If I even use any it will be on my right with the volume turned off.I hate that beeping. :ahh:
User avatar
By DocSoc
#155661
which ever way, I can scare the guys above me enough to bail out of MY THERMAL!!!

:punch:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I kid, I kid, I joke....

-DocSoc
User avatar
By Davedebogusone
#192301
Whats a Thermal?
You know, they used to call them long johns :wink:
I
User avatar
By Sky_Walker
#192355
I always turn in the direction that gets me flushed out as quickly as possible.

:cry:
User avatar
By Flyking
#192531
I turn left most of the time. The King Mountain Championships eveyone has to turn left within a mile from launch. King is where I learned to thermal and go XC so I got in the habit of turning to the left but I do and can go both ways :lol: :lol: :lol:
User avatar
By Bobfly
#192566
I just levitate straight up!
User avatar
By UnTuckable
#192569
I just wind my clock and let it turn in time for me.