Radio-controlled gliders utilize thermals, columns of rising air created by the sun heating the ground. When a glider encounters a thermal, it begins to ascend as the warm air lifts it upwards. Pilots skillfully navigate their gliders by constantly adjusting the control surfaces to maximize lift and stay within the thermal. As the glider climbs higher, it enters areas of stronger lift within the thermal, allowing it to gain altitude rapidly. Through precise control inputs, pilots can exploit these rising air currents to extend flight duration and achieve impressive heights.
Understanding the behavior of thermals is essential for successful thermal soaring. Pilots rely on visual cues such as birds circling overhead or wisps of cloud forming in the sky to locate thermals. Once a thermal is found, pilots use their expertise to position the glider within the updraft, allowing it to climb efficiently. Additionally, radio-controlled gliders are often equipped with variometers, instruments that detect changes in altitude, aiding pilots in pinpointing the strongest areas of lift within the thermal. This delicate dance between pilot skill and natural atmospheric phenomena allows radio-controlled gliders to gracefully soar through the sky with remarkable agility and endurance.
In this video below, i was able to circle around until i found a pocket of thermal air, jumping from one pocket to the next, i controlled my tiny tail glider into the heavens above.