Thermal soaring

The principles of thermal soaring with an rc glider are very simple, and most medium/large size gliders are capable of 'riding the thermals'.

Thermals are columns of air that are warmer than the air surrounding them. Warm air is less dense than cool air, and so it rises up - rather like a helium filled balloon does. The rate of rise depends on the temperature of air; the higher the temperature, the less dense the air and so the faster and higher it will rise.

Thermals appear because the sun warms different surfaces at different rates; for example, water absorbs the sun's rays so thermals won't be present over the water, but the roof of a house, or a road, will be warmed by the sun quickly and so strong thermals will be generated over these types of surface.

Finding the thermals with an RC glider

For successful thermal soaring, the day needs to be warm and without too much wind, and you should be flying in an open, flat area.
Thermals are of course invisible, but a strong heat haze rising from a surface, or circling birds, can indicate the presence of thermals. It's really a case of trial-and-error for the first few flights, but once you've launched your glider to a good altitude, then you should be able to fly it around and pick out the thermals to keep it aloft.

Once you've found a strong thermal, the technique is to keep circling the glider over the thermal to gain altitude - as soon as the glider flies back into the cooler air then it will naturally start to sink as gravity takes the place of the warm rising air.

Above, using a thermal to keep aloft.

The video below shows some basic thermal soaring, as performed on the RealFlight G4.5 simulator...

Launching the glider

Because you are flying from a flat area, and not slope flying, you need to get your glider high by the methods discussed on the launching rc gliders page. These include bungee, towline, discus and hand launching.

If the day is hot and the thermals are strong, you won't need to get your glider too high initially - as soon as you fly it into a good thermal then the warm air will carry the glider upwards, and your thermal soaring has begun!
If there's a constant breeze blowing, flying your glider in to wind as often as possible will help you maintain altitude.

Thermal soaring with an rc glider is a relaxing experience, and one that requires a certain degree of concentration. Actively seeking out strong thermals and learning how to use the rising air effectively takes practice, but is ultimately very rewarding.

RC gliders - an overview of gliders and gliding.