I don't know where you live (my guess is Germany) but the technique you
describe works fine in the Southwest desert of the United States. I used
to be able to get 500 fpm up in a 172 from the thermals around my old home
patch in the Mojave desert.

Dave Reinhart


Kees Mies wrote:

Hi All,

I need some advise.
The summer is starting and my plane is a rotten climber, certainly on
hot days at MTOW.
The best it can do in these conditions is about 300fpm.

My idea is to use thermals to climb (much)faster like gliders do.
Is this a stupid idea?
If my idea is not that stupid how do I find thermals and how to use
them properly?

Maybe I should have asked this on a soaring site but I think there are
a lot of pilots flying both kinds of planes.

BTW, my plane is a MS880 Rallye.

Thanks,
Kees.
D-EDMB.