Hang Gliding and Paragliding Volume 44 / Issue 2: February 2014 | Page 55

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Turning opposite the rotation increases climb rate significantly (lesson
15).
There were still pilots launching
and I saw a tandem go off. I watched
him like a vulture, hoping to feed
off any thermal carcass he would
find. We got lower while hunting in
our favorite spots. Sure enough, the
tandem pilot—a good one—began
turning below me. I joined him and
noted that if he was climbing tandem
I could surely get up also. We were
along the little ridge, about 300 feet
above the landing field—barely surviving. I suddenly realized he was solo
on his glider. I shouldn’t have been so
cavalier about the “sure thing” he was
showing (there must be lesson 16 here
somewhere).
We worked that sporadic lift and
climbed in stutters to about 500 feet
over the ground. All the while I was
watching the windsock in the landing
field (lesson 17). It shifted counterclockwise and I felt the lift dying,
so I headed north a bit. It is always

gratifying when theory and nature coincide to pay off your hunches. I was
straight downwind from the sock and
hit a weak but solid climb. Another
pilot launched just then and flew
towards me. Rather than meld with
my circle (clockwise 360s) he flew
around the opposite direction outside
and never did find the thermal. How
much better it is to judge your thermal entry, join another pilot cleanly
and work up together (lesson 18). Two
can always do it better than one in
thermals and other prone endeavors.
Eventually I tracked that thermal
above launch, but the day was dying.
There was a little bit of restitution—
excess heat coming up as wonder
winds—but it was weak, short lived
and just a tease. After one and a half
hours I sank to the inevitable landing.
This site only offers a landing to
the north or the south. In such a weak
wind day, thermals determine how it
blows in the landing area. I saw very
light winds, but they were wandering.
There was a trickle from the north,

then the southwest, then it was dead.
So I hedged my bets. I circled off to
the edge of the field so I could choose
a direction at the last moment (lesson
19). When altitude was scarce I saw
the indicators hanging limp, so chose
to head north, the direction favored
for most of the day. I carefully dove
my glider—it was my first flight on
it—for approach speed, rounded out,
bled off the speed and punched out a
full flare for a one-stepper in nil wind.
The flight was over and I was grinning from the unexpected airtime.
Maybe I need a lesson to be ever
optimistic (make that # 20). I had
nearly a flawless takeoff, blundered
well into thermals and landed cleanly
on that inexperienced glider’s first
flight. As I drove home reflecting on
the fun I had, I realized how many
little details there are that influence
a flight. Certainly there are times in
weak conditions when I don’t get up,
so I should mention perhaps the most
important lesson: It always pays to be
lucky!

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