On 7/28/2011 8:15 AM, Dan Marotta wrote:
First glider sets the tone. I try to thermal just like I drive: Don't cause
anyone to change his direction or speed due to my actions. Simple as that.


"Walt Connelly" wrote in message
...

Okay, let's hear your views on what proper etiquette might be in a
thermal. We all know the first man in decides the direction of the turn
and we should all thermal at the same speed. The Glider Pilot Handbook
seems somewhat unconcerned with the rules and etiquette and the internet
information seems to be the domain of the hang gliders and para-gliders
as to this subject. What say you my friends? (I think we have beaten
the rudder waggle thing to death)

Walt




--
Walt Connelly


"What Dan M. said." Simple is good.

Play the mental games, & imagine scenarios. Say you're sharing a thermal at
the same altitude with one other, essentially identically-performing ship,
spaced 180-degrees across the thermal from him, and climbing essentially
identically with him. All is no-brainer until you decide he's not flying the
thermal bubbles in the more highly efficient way *you* would if by yourself,
which is to say - for the sake of discussion - he's not tightening his bank to
remain longer in the stronger upwellings, but instead flying like he's on
rails regardless of where the best lift is. Doesn't matter why he's doing it;
sooner or later you'll want to outclimb him, which usually means *you* have to
initiate a different course than he...whether to lure him into sink, or
out-turn him in a strong bubble, or whatever.

When you choose to 'go for it,' first thing is to not hit him (something the
Skyraider driver failed to get right), second thing is to implement Dan's
manner of thinking. If you want to implement a third - even *more*
conservative thought (as I strive to do) - it might well be to choose a
situation and flight path that completely rules out the possibility of the
other guy hitting you even IF he *tries* to while your belly is toward him
(meaning the time your fate is in his hands). Conceptually simple.

You can complicate things by considering the 'what ifs,' e.g.: what if you're
pretty cure the other guy is unaware of you (it happens...and not too
uncommonly in 'around the club field' settings!); what if the ships are of
'considerably different' thermaling characteristics; what if there are more
than 2 ships; what if there are only two but you manage to insert yourself at
some 'non-180-degree-apart' spacing; etc. Nothing changes conceptually,
insofar as avoiding/outclimbing the other guy(s) is concerned.

Regards,
Bob - KISS-ing is good/mindset matters - W.