On Jan 5, 11:01*pm, Andreas Maurer wrote:
On Tue, 5 Jan 2010 11:31:38 -0800 (PST), Sandy Stevenson

wrote:
As someone who is just starting to fly cross country, this is one of
the best discussions I've read here in the last few years.
Thanks for your posts, guys.

Better stop reading now, Sandy.

Otherwise I guarantee that you'll be completely puzzled by the variety
of techniques and opinions you are going to read here over the next
week. vbg

Here's a method that is very simple yet makes champions. Invented by
Ingo Renner who became three time world gliding champion using it.

First, and most important, set the *correct* McCready setting.
A 3 kt thermal is usually only 2 kts if you count the time you need to
center it, therefore always use a lower McCready setting than the
average climb rate your variometer is showing you.

Between thermals fly a *constant speed* depending on the McCready
setting. Do not adjust speed to the current sink rate, only pull back
and climb into a thermal if it is really strong.
Keep the AoA constant - fly smooooooooth.

Set McCready to half your chosen value once you get below 50 percent
of the cloud base, and only fly with best glide speed if you really
desperately need a thermal in order to avoid an outlanding.

The same method is used by the pilots who have been dominating German
15m class for the last 6 years (... and by the guy writing this
posting). Works like a charm, and is very simple to use.

More Ingo: http://www.sac.ca/index2.php?option=...13 &Itemid=52
"Soaring with the Master"

-T8