Thermalling the D2

Hi All!

I'm currently a Discus CS driver with a new D2-b coming in about 3
months from the factory. I've found that thermalling the CS with the
yaw string slightly high in the turn yields a better climb - I'm
curious to hear about thermalling techniques from the D2 veterans.

Thanks in advance!
Chris, F2

I have never flown a Discus, nor anything close, but when I was
learning to fly 23 years ago, my instructor told me to keep a little
top rudder in turns and when thermalling. I tried to keep that in mind
but it was not until I transitioned to glass years later that I really
discovered why: slipping a little makes centering the thermal easier
and that results in better climb. This has been true whether I was
flying a 2-33, 1-34, BG-12, even a T-31, but it is especially noticable
in my LS-1.

Fox Two wrote:
Hi All!

I'm currently a Discus CS driver with a new D2-b coming in about 3
months from the factory. I've found that thermalling the CS with the
yaw string slightly high in the turn yields a better climb - I'm
curious to hear about thermalling techniques from the D2 veterans.

Thanks in advance!
Chris, F2

raulb wrote:
I have never flown a Discus, nor anything close, but when I was
learning to fly 23 years ago, my instructor told me to keep a little
top rudder in turns and when thermalling. I tried to keep that in mind
but it was not until I transitioned to glass years later that I really
discovered why: slipping a little makes centering the thermal easier
and that results in better climb. This has been true whether I was
flying a 2-33, 1-34, BG-12, even a T-31, but it is especially noticable
in my LS-1.

Dick Johnson wrote a SOARING article about this that is on the SSA
webpage (members only). There seems to be some question about how much
of a slip is desirable when a glider has winglets, since the winglets
could have an excessively low or high angle of attack.

Fox Two wrote:
Hi All!

I'm currently a Discus CS driver with a new D2-b coming in about 3
months from the factory. I've found that thermalling the CS with the
yaw string slightly high in the turn yields a better climb - I'm
curious to hear about thermalling techniques from the D2 veterans.

Thanks in advance!
Chris, F2

Of all the gliders I have flown or owned, the one that really seemed to
benefit from a bit of top rudder was my ASW-20. Anecdotal evidence
suggests that winglets help in thermals and reduce the need for this
little slip.

I find my D2 seems to ride on rails in thermals, probably because of
the double dihedral and winglets, and I just keep the yaw string
centered. You may find the nose-high attitude of the D2 will take some
getting used to.

Enjoy your new ship!

Mike



On Oct 30, 6:26 pm, "Fox Two" wrote:
Hi All!

I'm currently a Discus CS driver with a new D2-b coming in about 3
months from the factory. I've found that thermalling the CS with the
yaw string slightly high in the turn yields a better climb - I'm
curious to hear about thermalling techniques from the D2 veterans.

Thanks in advance!
Chris, F2

Chris:

Now all you need is; A D2b, and B thermals.

Zulu

wrote:
Chris:

Now all you need is; A D2b, and B thermals.

Zulu

Billy,

It's coming - it's coming! Hopefully the record rainfalls will relent
as soon as F2 arrives!

Chris

Chris,

The D2 definitely has to be slipped in the turn. Ask
Davis or Darroze and they will confirm this.

Just fly it EXACTLY the same way you would fly your
Discus CS.

Cheers,

Ben


At 20:36 31 October 2006, Mike The Strike wrote:

Of all the gliders I have flown or owned, the one that
really seemed to
benefit from a bit of top rudder was my ASW-20. Anecdotal
evidence
suggests that winglets help in thermals and reduce
the need for this
little slip.

I find my D2 seems to ride on rails in thermals, probably
because of
the double dihedral and winglets, and I just keep the
yaw string
centered. You may find the nose-high attitude of the
D2 will take some
getting used to.

Enjoy your new ship!

Mike



On Oct 30, 6:26 pm, 'Fox Two' wrote:
Hi All!

I'm currently a Discus CS driver with a new D2-b coming
in about 3
months from the factory. I've found that thermalling
the CS with the
yaw string slightly high in the turn yields a better
climb - I'm
curious to hear about thermalling techniques from
the D2 veterans.

Thanks in advance!
Chris, F2

I just reviewed a couple of cockpit photos I took of my D2 thermalling
and note that the yaw string in both cases shows about a 10 degree
slip.

While flying, I haven't noticed that I needed to deliberately keep this
slip and wonder if this is the way the ship just sits. Or perhaps I
just fly it that way without thinking?

Mike



On Nov 2, 2:42 am, Ben Flewett
wrote:
Chris,

The D2 definitely has to be slipped in the turn. Ask
Davis or Darroze and they will confirm this.

Just fly it EXACTLY the same way you would fly your
Discus CS.

Cheers,

Ben

At 20:36 31 October 2006, Mike The Strike wrote:



Of all the gliders I have flown or owned, the one that
really seemed to
benefit from a bit of top rudder was my ASW-20. Anecdotal
evidence
suggests that winglets help in thermals and reduce
the need for this
little slip.

I find my D2 seems to ride on rails in thermals, probably
because of
the double dihedral and winglets, and I just keep the
yaw string
centered. You may find the nose-high attitude of the
D2 will take some
getting used to.

Enjoy your new ship!

Mike

On Oct 30, 6:26 pm, 'Fox Two' wrote:
Hi All!

I'm currently a Discus CS driver with a new D2-b coming
in about 3
months from the factory. I've found that thermalling
the CS with the
yaw string slightly high in the turn yields a better
climb - I'm
curious to hear about thermalling techniques from
the D2 veterans.

Thanks in advance!
Chris, F2

I read an article which mentioned that the only way
you could really tell via yawstring if in a slip was
if it was placed at the CG.

by positioning the string forward, i.e., on the canopy,
one could expect it to show a small amount of error.


I find that my b likes to climb in a slight skid for
some reason. sounds weird (and a bit dangerous) but
works for me




At 16:31 02 November 2006, Mike The Strike wrote:
I just reviewed a couple of cockpit photos I took of
my D2 thermalling
and note that the yaw string in both cases shows about
a 10 degree
slip.

While flying, I haven't noticed that I needed to deliberately
keep this
slip and wonder if this is the way the ship just sits.
Or perhaps I
just fly it that way without thinking?

Mike



On Nov 2, 2:42 am, Ben Flewett
wrote:
Chris,

The D2 definitely has to be slipped in the turn.
Ask
Davis or Darroze and they will confirm this.

Just fly it EXACTLY the same way you would fly your
Discus CS.

Cheers,

Ben

At 20:36 31 October 2006, Mike The Strike wrote:



Of all the gliders I have flown or owned, the one
that
really seemed to
benefit from a bit of top rudder was my ASW-20. Anecdotal
evidence
suggests that winglets help in thermals and reduce
the need for this
little slip.

I find my D2 seems to ride on rails in thermals, probably
because of
the double dihedral and winglets, and I just keep
the
yaw string
centered. You may find the nose-high attitude of
the
D2 will take some
getting used to.

Enjoy your new ship!

Mike

On Oct 30, 6:26 pm, 'Fox Two' wrote:
Hi All!

I'm currently a Discus CS driver with a new D2-b
coming
in about 3
months from the factory. I've found that thermalling
the CS with the
yaw string slightly high in the turn yields a better
climb - I'm
curious to hear about thermalling techniques from
the D2 veterans.

Thanks in advance!
Chris, F2

I constructed a to-scale CAD drawing of a glider in a very agressive 300
foot diameter turn and looked at the angle difference between a nose and a
CG yaw string. - it's something like a 1/100 of a degree. The difference is
so small you'd never see it. In fact, it's likely that any difference
would be swamped by local turbulent flow.

Bill Daniels


"P Ilatus" wrote in message
...

I read an article which mentioned that the only way
you could really tell via yawstring if in a slip was
if it was placed at the CG.

by positioning the string forward, i.e., on the canopy,
one could expect it to show a small amount of error.


I find that my b likes to climb in a slight skid for
some reason. sounds weird (and a bit dangerous) but
works for me




At 16:31 02 November 2006, Mike The Strike wrote:
I just reviewed a couple of cockpit photos I took of
my D2 thermalling
and note that the yaw string in both cases shows about
a 10 degree
slip.

While flying, I haven't noticed that I needed to deliberately
keep this
slip and wonder if this is the way the ship just sits.
Or perhaps I
just fly it that way without thinking?

Mike



On Nov 2, 2:42 am, Ben Flewett
wrote:
Chris,

The D2 definitely has to be slipped in the turn.
Ask
Davis or Darroze and they will confirm this.

Just fly it EXACTLY the same way you would fly your
Discus CS.

Cheers,

Ben

At 20:36 31 October 2006, Mike The Strike wrote:



Of all the gliders I have flown or owned, the one
that
really seemed to
benefit from a bit of top rudder was my ASW-20. Anecdotal
evidence
suggests that winglets help in thermals and reduce
the need for this
little slip.

I find my D2 seems to ride on rails in thermals, probably
because of
the double dihedral and winglets, and I just keep
the
yaw string
centered. You may find the nose-high attitude of
the
D2 will take some
getting used to.

Enjoy your new ship!

Mike

On Oct 30, 6:26 pm, 'Fox Two' wrote:
Hi All!

I'm currently a Discus CS driver with a new D2-b
coming
in about 3
months from the factory. I've found that thermalling
the CS with the
yaw string slightly high in the turn yields a better
climb - I'm
curious to hear about thermalling techniques from
the D2 veterans.

Thanks in advance!
Chris, F2