Thank you everyone for all the input on this subject. It's been very
interesting to read these posts! I'm still digesting.

To recap, I'm a fairly new glider pilot with only 30 hours. But I
have spent a LOT of time with SeeYou Mobile in sim mode and with
flight sims, testing, reading trying to take it all in. It really
helps understanding the theory.

In real world, I'm currently staying within range of my primary
airport at all times. With a club Cirrus and not having formal cross
country training (yet), this is what I must do for now.

For the most part, I understand what everyone is talking about. To
me, looking at required MC as a way of seeing how much reserve energy
I have to make it home seems fairly straight forward and takes
everything into account as long as I make sure all parameters are
correct including safety altitude, bugs, winds aloft, polar and such.
I like it because I can be flying away from home base and it will work
without having to test by actually starting the final glide. For
example, if I'm 10 miles out and I see a value of 10MC required, I
know I can fly a substantially lower MC final glide and be sure of
making it home. For a cross check it's easy to also look at required
L/D versus achieved L/D especially as the final glide is in progress.
It's also easy to look at arrival height.

But I also like MC because it plays out in thermals, speed to fly and
is seems to be the theoretical basis of making forward progress in
soaring. Something I plan to use more and more as I progress.

akiley Adrian, Michigan