The Proper way to thermal????
Fascinating
a. Use an audio variometer?
b. Use the most expensive air data computer money could buy?
c. Keep the yaw-string pointing at the thermal
d. Recognize the top of the thermal and leave
e. always drop your water on the bloke below you
f. Use flaperons only
g. turn inside the other guy (always use more bank than him anyway)
h. Centre accurately by varying the bank angle assiduously as the vario tone varies
i. Use the Ingo Renner method (aggressive rolling pull-up into a rising audio tone) - but though I followed him and Maury often I never did figure which way to roll. It must be instinctive.
j. Always go through a start-gate at VNe + 60 kts (it's worth a 45 second lead)
k. Don't highly polish the wings and tailplane, sand them with the lightest grade paper and then wash with a pure detergent.
l. Eliminate air-scoops and fit an electric fan
m. Carry max legal water plus 150lbs (need a high pressure water pump). Use heavy water.
n. Leave the tail-dolly on for all your practise flights (makes it so much easier on race days when you fly without it - particularly resolves the ground looping grande finale)
But I'm sure I missed something really critical - so pls tell me.