WHY THERMAL?

WHY THERMAL?

As pilots of un-powered aircraft, we are always descending through air. To sustain flight, we must fly in air, which is ascending faster than we are descending. Ridge lift and thermals provide us with this rising air. Although more difficult to master than ridge lift flying, thermal lift provides better altitude gains. If done right, thermal flight can be safe, and the most exhilarating and challenging form of free flight. If done wrong, it can kick your ass out of the sky.

In order to be a good thermal pilot you must understand the dynamics of the air and you must have total control of your equipment. Hang gliders have rigid wing frames. Because of this, they can fly through momentary turbulence without losing wing shape integrity. They can also fly in stronger conditions than paragliders. However, paragliders can fly slower, turn tighter, and better utilize the lift in thermals. It is not unusual to see skilled paraglider pilots enter a thermal below a gaggle of hang gliders, and quickly out climb them!

THERMALS

The ideal thermal is a broad symmetrical column of air rising thousands of feet; these are the exception. There is a great deal of disagreement among pilots as to the specific dynamics of thermals. Although it would be nice to know exactly why thermals act the way they do, it is more important to know what they do. The why will always be the stuff of campfire talk and USHGA articles.

Although no two thermals will ever be the same, we tend to categorize certain types together. With experience, a pilot can learn to look at a site and know what to expect.