Thermal Flying is the world’s best-selling guide to the art of thermalling and XC flying. Cross Country’s team has been hard at work thoroughly revising and updating the title, line by line, and the design and photography has been refreshed to bring it bang up to date. Learning to climb well is probably the most valuable skill of all in free flying, but it can be an incredibly frustrating experience. Burki Martens’ Thermal Flying has been written as a guidebook, and whether you have one hour or a thousand hours’ airtime, you’ll find it incredibly useful. Hundreds of photos and illustrations make technical concepts come alive and easy to understand. Technical theory is kept to a minimum while real-world experience and practical advice help you grasp tricky concepts easily. Thermal Flying Includes comprehensive instructions on: How to predict and find thermals How and where thermals form – sources and triggers Different types of thermal models Windward and lee-side thermals The theory of temperature gradients Vortex ring structure and lift distribution in thermals How to read clouds and weather Plus hundreds of helpful tips on: Soaring, staying up and top-landing Coastal flying and sea breezes How to core thermals and get to cloudbase Valley winds, mountain flying and magic air Flying the flatlands XC tactics from first flights to 100km