>Everybody interested in theory of speed- and energy management of
>dynamic soaring have a look at
>www.lfm.mw.tu-muenchen.de/lfm_sources/albatros.html
In a nutshell, this page shows and summarizes the results of
theoretical calculations designed to optimize the DS flight path. In
the graphs, the green portions have a positive energy budget, while
energy is lost in the red portions; the yellow horizontal arrows are
wind vectors.
The study reports that satellite observations have shown albatross
flying up to 1000 kilometers by DSing the wind gradient between
roughly 0 and 20 meters above the water surface.
The pictures of the glider show a DS path on the UPwind side of a
mountain range but downwind of a smaller ridge. The text does not
address the significance of the large range is or why it is included
in the images. It does say that the special head-up display is
designed to help the pilot attain the optimum flight path, and that
simulated and real-world experiments are being conducted to determine
the feasiblity of such aflight path.
Those with gobs of bandwith can download a 33-megabyte animation: albi2.mpg
Dieter
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