Trikers & Thermals

[Big-D]

I think we must visit for a Brekkie, the "Patch Flyers Club" and ask Tobie From Aviators Paradise Hanggliders to give us some lectures on Turbulance.
Would he be interested?

Now Tobie must be the king of thermal flying, tugging hangliders at midday is the only trike flying he does. I have seen him go up and test the air, only to land and tell the HANGLIDERS NOT TO FLY - Those okes will fly in anything

He goes up early morning very seldomly to tug hanglider okes in training, says it makes him uncomfortable flying early if the control bar does not move around violently

D

[DieselFan]

Ask Dieselfan about the day he decided to take a "normal" trike up in midday conditions he landed very quickly, maybe he had to go for a wiz
D

Never , if I have to recall that must be the 3rd scariest flight ever - Aliens have beaming tech.

I read the book "Understanding the sky" which most bought and I hope read. Anyways I then took it upon myself to prove each of the findings "Pop a thermal" etc. It was great because the flying was a learning experience and perhaps aided in the bumps as my mind was sidetracked. I'm not saying you must jump off a bridge, but on MOST theories and techniques - short field takeoffs bar out vs bar neutral. The manual VS 5000 hour pilot - test it for yourself. Be on a learning mission.

I find landings can need a longer lower approach to fly "under" the thermals then it's pretty much glide it in. I will also sometimes do a deliberate downwind / xwind landing to avoid obstacles that normally wouldn't be a problem, like powerlines. The norm being go over and dive.

Do yourself a favour read "Understanding the sky" and realise that people LOOK forward to flying in wx we don't. You might find that appeal and be able to enjoy flying more and in more varying conditions. Instead of ideal only. Eventually you might also find if it's not raining, it's all ideal.

[Arnulf]

DieselFan wrote:

I don't have money for a flight suit so shorts and t-shirt,

O. K. We have established that DieselFan is too stingy to buy a flightsuit.
Dieselfan then wrote:

Eventually you might also find if it's not raining, it's all ideal.

Don't tell me you've got no rain coat either?
About time you invest in some foul weather gear.
I must admit flying in the rain with shorts and t-shirt is probably not pleasant.

Regards,
Arnulf

[DieselFan]

[Rudix]

Eventually you might also find if it's not raining, it's all ideal.

This is the way I think as well, some of my most memorable, exciting, challenging and fun flying has been in some of the "worst" conditions. Sure, I enjoy a silky smooth early morning flight, but spending 45 minutes at idle bumping around in a thermal, and 2 hours at midday crossing the Drakensberg in summer were some of the flights I will remembered for longer than most.

Slowly fly in more and more less than ideal conditions and soon you will find out that a lot of fun can be had on these days.

Fly safe,
Rudi

[Wargames]

I want to throw a curve ball here.

Does flying in bad weather put more wear and tear on a trike than fine weather??

[DieselFan]

I want to throw a curve ball here.

Does flying in bad weather put more wear and tear on a trike than fine weather??

It can, but there are ways you can fly to reduce the impact. To what extent I think depends on the various components and looking at Demon's planes after all the hours he clocks they all seem fine and happy - the planes are happy too.

I would say hangar rash or a bad landing would be worse as those are sudden bumps and not "absorbed".

[Arnulf]

The faster you fly, the harder the bumps on the aircraft. The forces go up with the square of the speed increase. Ie. if you double the speed, forces will be four times harder on the aircraft.

Regards,
Arnulf

[Wart]

There is a lot of enjoyment in being able to catch the thermals but it does take a lot of practice and possible those with hang-glider experience have the edge on the rest of us.

The technique that I am using is to watch out for the yellow-bill kites (they are usually catching thermals) and then head for them. When you feel a wing lift on one side or the nose pitch up slightly due to lift then turn into it but do be aware that outside of the termal there is sink. It is like catching a lift up and down. This is something that I want to learn more about and hone my technique so anyone out there with some suggestions let's hear them.

Thanks

[skybound®]

Wart some other bits you can use are:

Know where the thermals are likely to reside. There is such a thing as a 'resident' thermal. This can be from dark ground patches, lee side of mountains where the air can heat up quicker than the windward side etc.

Understand what elements can trigger a thermal. This can be from a car travelling down a farm road, to a cow shuffling in a field. They can cause a thermal to release.

Think of a thermal as the bubble of gas stuck to the side of a glass of coke. Although the gas is lighter than the surrounding coke - surface friction et al keeps it stuck to the side of the glass. If you tap the glass (the trigger), some of the bubbles are released. Some release owing to other factors. Thermals are no different.

Things like the lapse rate will govern the strength of the thermal. Also on how much moisture the air contains.

There is a bunch of other bits, but some sound advice earlier in this thread is go read Denis Pagen's book Understanding the Sky, or Micrometerology for Pilots.

One thing though is be aware of the difference between Thermal turbulence and it's uglier sister - Mechanical turbulence.

Also pushing ones limit as suggested here - you need to know where to stop pushing that limit. The only time you find out that you have 'hit' your or the aircraft's limit is when you have an accident - and as we know flying is not forgiving. I recall a trike breaking up in the Magalies as the pilot entered turbulence and the wing broke. I seem to recall he entered the lee side of a ridge.

[Thermal]

Hey what is going on here! I have been away for a few days and now I am discussed. To the expert panel who dissed me wach out hey!!!!

I think THERMIC activity is a great thing. This although it might be worrying to fly through it I think it makes you a better pilot and helps to promote better airmanship.

Flying i the afternoons here by us is lekker although it is a bit rough at the start later it will calm down. I think I prefer flying in the afternoon.

Rule of thumb is never to wrestle with the bar you will only fatuige yourself. Chill out!!!

I also made the mistake to wrestle with the bar.

Keep well

T

[mile high]

You all talk as if thermic activity is nothing to be afraid of, Question then:

Isn't there thermic activety that could be dangerous to fly in, if is is only a few bumps then there is nothing to worry about but if there are chances of being in danger while flying, should'nt one consider not flying in those situations?

Rookie

[CHARLIE WHISKEY]

Wings is ,or the average wing is build for +6g -4g.

On a normal hot summers day the load can not be more than the envelope. 6 G ! your body can not handle !

Had a few baddies where the bar was knocket out of my hands, You "be k" youself almost but everything stil fine.Inspected the wing and everythings normal.

So normal through the day flying is OK!
Wing won't break up in mid air.

Thunderstorms is a toppic on its own.

cheers

[Dre'man]

I enjoy the early mornings even in winter.
To be honest thermals don't scare me but I am prone to be a bit airsick. Not the most fun in the world when on bumpy finals you are trying to keep your lunch down.

[gertcoetzee]

The other side of the coin are downdrafts. I often sit and look at the clouds cascading down Table Mountain, and sometimes "folding" on themselves.

The following graph (and google GPS track) is of our flip back from Nieuwoudtville via Lamberts' Bay.

1. Niewoudtville lies on the ascarpment, at 2400ft ASL, and the ridge drops sharply down to 400ft. We took off from (1) and decided to climb to 3500ft, and as you can see had a tailwind of 20+mph.

2. Approaching the ridge, full RPM and you can see the drop in Altitude, and airspeed was still climbing, with bumps galore, so we turned into the wind, climbing before another attempt at crossing the ridge

3. take 2 at crossing the ridge, again with some fall, but bumps more manageble, with a bit of bumps, staying at

4/5 4000 to 5000ft until well downwind of that ridge, and stopping at Lamberts Bay (6)

(7) GPS not recording
(8) climbing over Piketberg
(9) Aurora

Blue Groundspeed (mph)
Red Altitude (ft)
Yellow Airspeed (mph)