Ever done any thermaling??

[Popsdory]

[Howard Wilson]

Re: Ever done any thermaling??

Very cool. Waaaay tooo much fun! h

[Frank DeBartolo]

Re: Ever done any thermaling??

Wonderful video. It was a joy to watch.

Frank D
N43684

[lawheelock]

Re: Ever done any thermaling??

Yes, I did a little more than 40 years ago in my BC12D, but never caught a thermo that let me climb like he did in the video. Of course I was over the midwest. I did climb up one time to 12,000 ft (using the mighty A65) and it took an hour or more to get back down to field elevation of 500 ft catching some occasional lift.
There was an article in one of the aviation magazines back in those days about someone tying a rope on the prop in a BC12D and getting towed up a few thousand feet and then catching lift and having a grand old time. The article said that the TCraft had a glide ratio of around 22:1 which was comparable to the Schwietzer 2 place training gliders of the day. It also indicated that a B747 had a comparable glide ratio, but at a speed of 130-140 knots and probably lightly loaded, as I recall.
There is just not much reason to get hurt in a Taylorcraft just because the engine quits provided you have some altitude and avoid hitting anything and have it under control all the way to the ground.
Larry Wheelock, BC12D N96927 from 1964 to 1969, now repairing N96179 damaged before I bought it.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Ever done any thermaling??

I have never shut my engine down in flight, but I learned to fly gliders in a 2-22 and the Taylorcraft feels almost the same at idle (wheels instead of a stick was a little strange feeling in a thermal). Not a sailplane, but a very respectable glider.
Hank

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Ever done any thermaling??

I have had my non starter equipped BC-65 at idle, climbing at 800 FPM running paralling the Hueco Mountains about 20 miles east of T-27 on the way out to our place. That plane thinks it's a motorglider.

I have never shut my engine down in flight, but I learned to fly gliders in a 2-22 and the Taylorcraft feels almost the same at idle (wheels instead of a stick was a little strange feeling in a thermal). Not a sailplane, but a very respectable glider.
Hank

[Bird]

Re: Ever done any thermaling??

Really liked that, I noticed that your gas "gauge" seemed to indicate more gas the higher you got-atleast to me.
I did a jump once outside of Clewiston, Fl and I opened up under a good cloud (we all know it's illegal to jump through or into a cloud-I tracked over to it's underside , thats my story and I'm stickin with it) and spent the next 30 or so minutes in a updraft--man it was 95+ on the ground and I was wearing just shorts and boots and up there is was prob 65 to 70 I was in heaven and lovin every min- the plane had already climbed up for the next drop before I lost the updraft.

[barnstmr]

Re: Ever done any thermaling??

Great video - Saturday I was out flying and on long final over a gravel pit - was indicating 55 mph with the throttle closed and VSI was indicating climb at 400 fpm. Fun.

[Popsdory]

Re: Ever done any thermaling??

Really liked that, I noticed that your gas "gauge" seemed to indicate more gas the higher you got-atleast to me.

Yea, on review, I see it too, and don't have an answer, except that maybe one of my wing tanks had a bit of fuel left in it that eventually drained down??