Welcome
Welcome to GlideWell, this website is for demonstration purposes only, this site has been created as a school project by Paul Clarke. This is NOT the Wellington Paragliding and Hand Gliding Club. The content in this site is not real. GlideWell is a social utility that connects you with others in and around the Wellington area with a common gliding interest, providing more opportunities for its members to go flying. This site is NOT affiliated to the NZ Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association.
Featured Article
Do Thermals Spin?
Tue, 21 October 08
Of course, dust devils spin, so thermals probably do also, at least when they're close to the ground. For many years, I was convinced that dust devils rotated in random directions. However, based on a few flights in northern Washington State, where I kept more careful mental notes, I would guess that about 2/3 to 3/4 of the dust devils there spin counterclockwise, in agreement with the Coriolis Effect. Contrary to popular belief, the smaller-scale equivalent, water going down a toilet or drain, is essentially unaffected, and the rotation, if it is biased toward one spin direction, is the result of the geometry of each such basin (check it out for yourself!).
The dust devils formed by thermals seem to be just large enough to be affected somewhat by the Coriolis Effect. If I have the choice, I usually opt for circling against the dust devil's rotation, most often to the right, in case this will produce a better climb rate by reducing my circling ground speed, thus bank angle and sink-rate.
However, when I have reversed direction several times in one climb, I have rarely detected a significant advantage in one direction. What little angular momentum thermals start with, they seem to lose through drag in the surrounding air, and they probably start with little spin anyway. As with water going down a drain, very little spin momentum at a large radius can translate to a rapid spin when the radius shrinks to that of a dust devil.
Whats happening
Club Notices
Tue, 21 October 08
It is now coming into winter - the usual sites will be closing due to lambing, they will re-open by Labour Weekend.
News and Events
Tue, 21 October 08
Auckland paraglider made an emergency landing near motorway yesterday after strong freak hail storm. The forecast reported good weather till Tuesday
Club Gallery
GlideWell offers you the opportunity to share your favorite flying pictures with titles and comments, or view other peoples pictures, and see what they've been up to.
John Roberts coming in to land
Mon, 25 August 08
After seven hours of continuous flying, coming into land at Puroku Bay. This was my best flight of the summer for sure! Flying with Thomas Smith.
Mon, 25 August 08
John Roberts took this picture of me at seven in the morning, we could see the traffics lights breaking through the mist. It was just a quick flight before work, cold but nice flight.
Mon, 25 August 08
One week of cross country flying with the Queestown Club. Amazing thermals for this time of the year! would recommend it to everyone.
