Thermal Search Patterns
    A few people have written to ask for a bit more info about search patterns so here it is.

    There are a number of circumstances where a search pattern is particularly useful.

• When you are low, desperate and in marginal lift

• Whenever you lose the core

• Even when you feel you are in a "core" to efficiently look for even better lift

    The first place I started to use a search pattern was making low saves. You know the scenario. Gliding, gliding, gliding. Lower, lower and lower. Finally you hit a few bumps and latch onto a workable bubble. You are low so you can't afford to make too many mistakes or you will be on the ground. The lighter the lift the better you need to perform. Once you have found some lift you don't want to lose it right? But say you have only found zero sink, or worse 50 down. You need something better, but you still don't want to lose what you've got. After a few circles to establish yourself it's time to go hunting. Sure some pilots just seem to be able to feel which way to go but for mere mortals using a search pattern is the way to go.

    The essence of the search pattern technique is to NEVER lose track of your known "good" lift. You maintain contact with this know lift by centring your search pattern around it. Imagine this lift is situated at the junction of an imaginary cross roads. The 4 imaginary "roads" which lead away from this cross roads represent your search directions. What you do is effectively explore a little way down each of the 4 "roads" which lead away from this crossroads. If, after you explore a little way down a "road" , better lift is not found you return to the crossroads, maybe do a few reassuring circles, then try another road. If better lift is found you circle in that then repeat you search using this new area of better lift to search out from.

    Typically a low save might go something like this. First you usually hit a few bumps of alternating sink and lift (pilots usually refer to this air as feeling live). Crank a turn as soon as any solid surge is felt (using the MK I Accelerometer rather than the variometer). Consolidate for a turn or two moving towards area where best surge of lift is felt as acceleration up (not the same a best vario response due to lag). Check variometer averager to see how you are going. Allow heart beat to return to normal if averager shows positive number but don't dawdle if you've only achieved 50 down. Flatten turn and head in one direction (say north) for say 3 seconds then do a 180 degree turn, fly south for 3 seconds then resume original circle. You have then explored ~100 feet to the north of your known good lift before returning to your circle in this lift. The same procedure can be used to search the other three main directions (E, W, S). You can explore greater or lesser distances by varying the time you fly straight for. Provided you fly the same number of seconds out and back and do an accurate 180 degree turn you should never lose track of your area of known lift. You search distance should be tailored to the expected size of thermals on the day, in the local area, and at your altitude. Initially I usually make fairly nervous little explorations before running back to circle in the centre. If experience shows that the sink monster is not lurking nearby I get a little more adventurous. Sometimes their simply is nothing better nearby. If you already seem to be in the best available lift patience is required and endless searching will just lose you altitude so you need to use this technique with restraint.

    When you're really low the direction of the first explorations can be critical as you simply don't have enough altitude to explore far.

Typically this direction will be either:

• A continuation of the direction I was going when I hit lift on the basis that I was desperate and probably started turning before I got to the thermal proper

• Towards any wing lift or area where better climb is felt

• Towards any circling birds, leaves, etc

• Towards any likely trigger areas like tree lines, etc

• Upwind as we tend to fall out the back side of thermals

    The benefits of adopting this search technique in low save conditions are:

• To maximise the chances of finding a good climb

• To minimise the time taken to find the best climb going

• To minimise altitude loss and thus minimise the risk of decking it

    A search pattern is the most effective way of ensuring that low save. It is also a logical way to search for lost cores or look for better lift during general thermaling. You will find the core more often if you look for it. You are less likely to miss it if you do a logical search pattern rather than blundering around hoping for the best.

    If you look at racing a glider, or long distance XC it is in large part a climbing contest. Inter thermal glides are definitely important (indeed vital) but the fastest pilots over the course are invariably amongst the fastest climbers. If you have ever been fortunate enough to watch the really top pilots like Tomas Suchanek and Manfred Rhumer in action you will see them continuously exploring for the best lift, but usually not for long because they find it, out climb you, and are gone. I once heard a pilot say "As soon as Tomas flew into this 400 up thermal it changed into an 800 up". Witchcraft? I think not. The truth is that he led the other pilots into the core. Looking for and finding the core, at whatever altitude, is just one of the many secrets of the black art of thermaling.