Bruce Goldsmith in flight
Former Paragliding World Champion Bruce Goldsmith writes a regular column for Cross Country magazine. In issue 147 he explains how to escape from the dreaded sink monster…
A reader writes:
As a weekend XC pilot (flying since 1996), many times during great days I land after hitting very strong sink. When it happens I am usually high and think I will pass it. I pull speed to the max, and continue to fly in the original direction.
After nothing changes for some time (say, a minute) I change course by 90 degrees. Usually nothing changes very fast, meaning I am still in heavy sink. When I am finally out of sink I find myself low, usually I don’t find another thermal and I… land. Then I wonder what should I have done instead?
What do you do when you’re stuck in really strong sink?
We have all felt it. A very strong patch of sink that feels like a big hand pushing you down to the ground. There is no let up as it seems to go on forever, the vario screaming wildly. It feels like whatever you do, fly fast or slow, or fly in any direction you just cannot get out of it…
Read more in Cross Country 147.
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