Is there thermal?

[Dzozi-POL]

Hi,

I'm living by the sea, and I have not far away old airport that is about 50m by the sea. Airport has got 3km leaght concrete, dark airstrip, and near it is light meadow. I think that those contrasting aeras can make great thermal, but still is problem with the sea. Does it take all sunshines and the warm concentrate there or the sea help to make bigger thermal? How it is?
Does on that airport (that I discreption) can I found thermal?

[gliderstuff]

...

[AustinTatious]

From what I have seen , ther ecan be a LOT of thermals near the ocean.. While I have never flown RC donw by the Gulf, I have flown full scale down there wuite often. I suspect that cool air comes in off the water then gets heated b the warm ground and creats thermals. Seems there is Always "Thermal streets" down aroudn Galveston. Watch the East side of flordia... actvity builds then dissipates.. there has to be some lift there.

[TLyttle]

Yes, temperature DIFFERENTIAL is the source of thermals, pure and simple. If yu have different surfaces exposed to sunlight, there's bound to be thermals; some will be weak, some will only break loose every 5-10min or so which really makes you work.

We frequently flew near the ocean, and the same thing applies: shallow water vs. deep water will generate thermals in the sun. I now live near a large lake, and there's always thermals around.

Watch the birds! they tell you all you need to know: if you see a gull circling without moving its wings, follow it!

[intheswamp]

Dzozi-POL, yes, good place for thermals.

Fly on sunny, weak wind day.

Fluffy clouds are good sign.

Watch for soaring birds.

Fly a little downwind of runway. (Pilot stands downwind of runway, fly plane between runway and pilot.)

Have fun!

Ed
Intheswamp

[Dzozi-POL]

Dzozi-POL, yes, good place for thermals.


Hi guys,

Thanks for all repiles, good news. Thanks!

[Miami Mike]

Just look for birds, flying in circles without flapping their wings, and going up.

[Dzozi-POL]

Just look for birds, flying in circles without flapping their wings, and going up.

Thanks, after read a lot articles about thermal, I think that the best indicator of thermal are birds ;)

[djnibler]

Lots of good advice here.

I have several flying sites which are next to bodies of water. Depending on the time of year, the water is often colder than the air temperature (and ground temperature) so the air above the ocean (nearest the beach) is usually sink. You have to go inland a bit before you get away from the sink and into the lift. How far inland depends on all sorts of things but it can be as short as a hundred feet or less, or much farther. I personally have never found lift right over the beach.... it's usually a hundred feet or more in.

The other problem is that there is usually a stiff breeze over the beach. Thermals can form in wind, but they are usually better with only a very light breeze or no wind at all.

Many beaches have ridges or cliffs. This will affect your thermals too. Just something else to keep in mind.

Happy soaring!

[Dzozi-POL]

...
Happy soaring!

Thanks for you mind. I'm afraid about that breeze. So...we will see, how it is at the weekend :D

[Peytr]

We get to fly a lot in ridge lift on sandy dunes at the coast. The sea is roughly between 40 and 200 mtrs from the ridges. Thermal lift is sometimes available at these sites but not too often. But at these rare occasions it's nice to ride the ridge lift and every now and then get away in thermal lift. As a rule (and at out lattitude) thermal activity increases going in land.

At the time of writing (november) there sometimes is very light lift from the sea itself, since it is sometimes warmer than the surrounding air.