On Thursday, May 28, 2015 at 11:28:10 AM UTC-4, wrote:
On Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at 9:35:06 AM UTC-6, Blake Seese 3Y wrote:
Hello All,

I am interested in what information other pilots feel is most important when thermalling.

Thanks,

Blake 3Y

Blake has just heard this but I wonder what others think. I have been stuck, plateaued for years by fear of getting low (old hang glider pilot) and landing out (hanggliders were easy, only need 100 feet of run out).
So I discovered when my flight computer died in flight that I flew much faster, further, and had less anxiety! I was just looking where I wanted to go and using "instincts" On May 3, 2015 I flew a 500 pt, 5 hour OLC flight at El tiro without ever looking at a flight computer!
On another point, I have observed myself thermalling on more and more occassions without looking at the vario and while distracted by something else and noted that I go into an unconcious "auto-pilot-thermal mode" in which I return to awareness of the vario, the glider, and myself and find that several minutes and thousands of feet of climbing occurred at a usually higher climb rate than before I went into Autopilotthermal mode?
Am I crazy? Don't ask Blake! LOL
P.S. I must encourage, say that this is one of the few threads I have enjoyed, due to pilots discussing their personal thinking processes and decision making processes. More is appreciated, and especially a short synopis on your OLC flight postings in the comments box. The more the better. Not a description per se but an analysis of what was really key to success or failure of that flight.
Thanks to all, I learn so much. Craig McMillan, Zuni II, ZB

It is kind of nice when all the electrics quit and you can just enjoy a quiet flight. Feeling the glider(what Craig calls "autopilot") is a skill that can't be replaced by a computer. Fly every day for a week or so and see how much less you rely on the vario.
The best these boxes are likely to do is tell where the thermal was on the last turn, possibly with some forward extrapolation. I want to know where it will be on the next turn.
FWIW