Too fast vs too slow

I think we are all missing a big part of the equation...

How bad do you have to pee?

Boggs

That's funny!
I was asking the same question as Ramy on Saturday, and in fact almost landed at the same cropduster strip (Westlake Farms) a few hours earlier in the day, while making pretty much the same transition from around Mineral King in the Sierra Nevada towards Avenal on the west side of the San Joaquin valley. Same model glider, too.
Eighty kilometers with no lift. And how can the wind be on the nose when the shear line is in front of me?
At the time the answer was probably "not the speed you're flying".
If it was easy it wouldn't be fun.
Jim

On Wednesday, May 8, 2013 1:58:34 AM UTC-5, Ramy wrote:
Say overall speed is not an issue (you are not racing) and the only objective is to achieve best glide to make it home with a marginal final glide. Also lets assume you fail to maintain the correct speed and deviate +/- 10 knots. Which will have less penalty, flying 10 knots too fast or too slow than best glide? so for example, if best glide is 60 knots, which speed will have better chance to get you home, 70 knots or 50 knots?

Assuming stable air with no wind, but will be interested to hear opinions for other conditions.



Ramy

So, you're not racing, right? The answer is simple. Stop at the first lift and climb! I'm just sayin' ... why risk a marginal final glide?

WE

On 5/8/2013 9:22 AM, JS wrote:
And how can the wind be on the nose when the shear line is in front of me?

Your computer's airspeed input is reading high is one way.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

On Wednesday, May 8, 2013 9:22:02 AM UTC-7, JS wrote:
That's funny!

I was asking the same question as Ramy on Saturday, and in fact almost landed at the same cropduster strip (Westlake Farms) a few hours earlier in the day, while making pretty much the same transition from around Mineral King in the Sierra Nevada towards Avenal on the west side of the San Joaquin valley. Same model glider, too.

Eighty kilometers with no lift. And how can the wind be on the nose when the shear line is in front of me?

At the time the answer was probably "not the speed you're flying".

If it was easy it wouldn't be fun.

Jim

Ha! Indeed I am beating myself for flying too slow on my final glide. It was one hour to sunset, no more than few bumps left, but increasing head wind (15 to 20 knots later). The air was still active with 0 to 2 knots down so I tried to milk the bumps resulting in flying too slow on average. Morgan flew at least 10 knots faster but also started 500 feet or so higher. He managed to clear the hills before Avenal I didnt. So the answer to Darryl is don't follow Ramy, follow Morgan.
Thanks for all the answers. I expected the answer will be that it is better to err on the fast side, but find it hard to resist the urge to slow down too much in bumps in attempt to climb and feel the air better, than keep a faster constant speed, which will likely provide better glide overall.

Ramy

Originally Posted by Ramy

On Wednesday, May 8, 2013 9:22:02 AM UTC-7, JS wrote:
That's funny!

I was asking the same question as Ramy on Saturday, and in fact almost landed at the same cropduster strip (Westlake Farms) a few hours earlier in the day, while making pretty much the same transition from around Mineral King in the Sierra Nevada towards Avenal on the west side of the San Joaquin valley. Same model glider, too.

Eighty kilometers with no lift. And how can the wind be on the nose when the shear line is in front of me?

At the time the answer was probably "not the speed you're flying".

If it was easy it wouldn't be fun.

Jim

Ha! Indeed I am beating myself for flying too slow on my final glide. It was one hour to sunset, no more than few bumps left, but increasing head wind (15 to 20 knots later). The air was still active with 0 to 2 knots down so I tried to milk the bumps resulting in flying too slow on average. Morgan flew at least 10 knots faster but also started 500 feet or so higher. He managed to clear the hills before Avenal I didnt. So the answer to Darryl is don't follow Ramy, follow Morgan.
Thanks for all the answers. I expected the answer will be that it is better to err on the fast side, but find it hard to resist the urge to slow down too much in bumps in attempt to climb and feel the air better, than keep a faster constant speed, which will likely provide better glide overall.

Ramy

I tend to fly a little faster as it helps eliminate the flying into sink at lower speed and having to accelerate while in said sink, a double hit