Originally Posted by
Lonewolf_50
If I may be pedantic for a moment, the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
There is a much stronger argument against updraft and that is energy conservation.
Decreasing speed from 275kts to 215kts IAS at the apogee equals roughly 4100 feet altitude gain from an equal energy perspective.
Taking into account that there are some drag losses due to g load and roll the 3000 ft climb match excellently to the altitude gain to be expected by trading speed for energy based on the given data points.
Had there been an updraft the energy level at the apogee would have been higher.