Thermalling is one of the most fundamental skills in paragliding, providing pilots with the ability to stay aloft for extended periods while soaring and navigating the skies. However, as any experienced pilot will tell you, thermalling is a skill that requires patience, practice, and a good understanding of the dynamics of air. While it might seem like a natural and effortless skill to master, even seasoned pilots can fall into certain common traps. These mistakes can undermine your thermalling technique, reduce your efficiency, and in some cases, pose serious safety risks.
In this article, we'll take a look at the most common thermalling mistakes pilots make, how to recognize them, and more importantly, how to correct them. By learning to avoid these pitfalls, you can enhance your thermalling skills and become a more proficient, confident pilot.
Failing to Center the Thermal
The Mistake:
One of the most critical aspects of thermalling is finding the center of the thermal. If you don't locate and stay in the strongest part of the thermal, your lift will be weaker, and you'll end up spending more time and energy circling without gaining altitude. A common mistake is either not recognizing the center of the thermal or constantly moving away from it.
How to Fix It:
To correct this mistake, it's important to use your variometer (often called a vario ) effectively and to stay alert to the feedback from your glider. When you enter a thermal, begin by establishing a shallow turn. As you feel the lift increase, make the turn tighter to keep yourself in the strongest part of the thermal. If the lift starts to diminish, widen your turn to search for the thermal core again.
Another technique is to use "S-turns" to fine‑tune your positioning. Make small, progressive adjustments to your circles and pay close attention to the variation in lift. This technique helps you hone in on the core by maintaining a flexible response to the ever‑changing conditions inside the thermal.
Pro Tip:
When thermalling, try to avoid over‑correcting your turns. Over‑correction can cause you to exit the thermal entirely or get caught in weaker lift areas. Instead, use smooth, gradual adjustments to find and stay in the thermal core.
Not Using Your Instruments Effectively
The Mistake:
Many pilots, especially beginners, make the mistake of underestimating the importance of their instruments when thermalling. Instruments like the variometer, GPS, and barometer are invaluable tools for understanding your position within a thermal, but some pilots fail to use them to their full potential.
How to Fix It:
Learn how to interpret your instruments' feedback, particularly the variometer. The variometer tells you whether you're climbing or sinking, and at what rate. By watching the rate of climb (in meters per second or feet per minute), you can fine‑tune your turns and determine whether you're in the best part of the thermal.
Additionally, your GPS can help you track your position and altitude relative to other thermals. It's also useful for monitoring your overall progress in relation to your planned route.
Pro Tip:
Practice using your instruments in different conditions to get a feel for the feedback they provide. The more in tune you are with your instruments, the better you'll be at adjusting your flying technique to optimize your thermalling.
Overturning or Underturning the Thermal
The Mistake:
Thermalling requires precise control over your turns, and one of the most common mistakes pilots make is overturning or underturning. Overturning can result in your glider exiting the thermal, while underturning can leave you flying in weak lift or even drifting out of the thermal altogether.
How to Fix It:
The key to avoiding this mistake is to adjust your turn radius based on your lift. If you're getting strong lift, it's best to make shallow, wider turns. Conversely, if the lift weakens, tighten your turn to stay within the core. Use the visual and auditory cues provided by your instruments and your glider's response to guide your adjustments.
Remember that thermals are often asymmetrical, so your turn radius might need to change even during the same thermal. Stay fluid in your technique, and avoid locking yourself into a set pattern.
Pro Tip:
If you feel like you've exited the thermal, it's better to widen your turn rather than try to force your glider back into the core. Forcing it back can lead to unnecessary energy loss, while a wider turn might put you back into stronger lift.
Not Adjusting for Wind Drift
The Mistake:
Thermals are often affected by the prevailing winds, and failing to adjust for wind drift is a mistake many pilots make. If you're not accounting for wind, you could be drifting out of your thermal, losing altitude, and wasting precious time.
How to Fix It:
To compensate for wind drift, it's important to pay attention to the wind direction and adjust your thermalling technique accordingly. If the wind is blowing strongly, you might need to adjust your circle to maintain your position within the thermal. In some cases, this means slightly tilting your circles downwind to compensate for the drift.
In extreme wind conditions, you may even need to fly upwind of the thermal's core, positioning yourself so that the wind brings you back toward the strongest part of the lift.
Pro Tip:
Use your GPS or visual cues from the landscape to get a sense of the wind direction. Once you have this information, you can make subtle adjustments to your circle patterns to stay within the thermal.
Flying Too Fast or Too Slow
The Mistake:
Finding the right speed is crucial when thermalling. Flying too fast can make it difficult to stay in the lift, while flying too slow might reduce your glider's performance and make it harder to stay aloft.
How to Fix It:
Your speed should be based on the type of glider you're flying and the strength of the thermal. For thermals, you generally want to fly at the best climb rate speed for your glider, which is often close to your trim speed or slightly above.
Experiment with different speeds during practice to find the optimal speed for your glider and conditions. Pay attention to how your glider responds to different speeds---if you're gaining altitude efficiently, you're likely in the right speed range.
Pro Tip:
Use your variometer feedback to adjust your speed. If your climb rate is too low or negative, try slightly increasing your speed. Conversely, if you're in strong lift, a slightly slower speed might keep you centered in the thermal without overdriving it.
Ignoring Terrain Features
The Mistake:
A common thermalling mistake is flying blindly without considering the surrounding terrain. Terrain features like hills, valleys, and forests can influence the way thermals form and behave. Failing to take these factors into account can lead you to miss strong lift areas or get caught in turbulent air.
How to Fix It:
Before launching, take note of the terrain and study how it might affect the airflow. Hills and mountain ranges can create thermal sources, while valleys or flat areas may result in weaker or more turbulent thermals. Understanding the terrain will give you a better idea of where to focus your efforts.
Once you're airborne, keep an eye on terrain features to track thermal activity. Rising air from a hill or ridge is often a good sign that thermals will form in the area. Use the terrain to help you predict where the next thermal might be.
Pro Tip:
Terrain features can also indicate potential hazards, such as turbulence or rotor. If you're approaching a ridge or mountain, be mindful of the airflow, and adjust your altitude accordingly.
Conclusion
Thermalling is an essential skill that can elevate your paragliding experience, but it requires practice, awareness, and attention to detail. By avoiding common mistakes such as failing to center the thermal, not using instruments effectively, and flying too fast or too slow, you can significantly improve your thermalling technique. Understanding the dynamic nature of air currents, adjusting for wind drift, and considering terrain features will also contribute to a safer and more effective flying experience.
With time and experience, thermalling will become a more intuitive and enjoyable part of your paragliding routine. Keep practicing, stay patient, and remember that even the best pilots make mistakes---but it's how you learn from them that truly matters.