XC Secrets

Flybubble team pilot Phil Clark helps you make the most of those cloudless, blue thermal days. Learn why they happen and how to make them work for you...

In this free flying cross country tips article, Flybubble team pilot Phil Clark shares with you his key learning points from an ambitious planned closed-circuit XC flying task and shows us that, done right, flying teamwork can make freeflight dreamwork.

Time is running out and we must find lift, or land within minutes! Get a front row seat as we search for that elusive thermal source. Is it in the mountains or flatlands? Where will a thermal form? Where does it go? Let's find out.

Join Greg on a west-facing mountain slope early in the day, as we try and stay aloft together and work the scraps of lift to avoid an embarrasing landing at the base of the pass. In this episode: investigating sloping terrain, keeping turns flat and tight, turning before you leave the lift, matching your proximity with your skill level, looking for recurring patterns to find lift, gliding fast and straight in sink, using figure-of-eights to follow the lift, alternating between lift sources, being patient and working for every metre.

Join us for an enlightening discussion with a very special pilot. Christian 'Chrigel' Maurer is #1 in the world: multiple European champion, PWC champion, Acro champion, and 6 x Red Bull X-Alps winner. This guy knows his flying, especially hike and fly! We talk about how to win, taking risks, balancing flying, work and family, the best gear for racing ... and much more.

The concept was to fly or hike around most of the Southern sites in a day, a 65km course that would be challenging for everyone. The forecast was for moderate northerly winds and good thermals. Carlo shares his insights from his winning route.

There is a growing Hike & Fly ‘scene’ in the UK, with the X-Lakes event (Northern England) and the Dragon Race (Wales). On the Continent there are many events to choose from. Longer ‘volbiv’ trips can be achieved anywhere there are mountains. It takes the focus off the numbers (XC league scores) and is more about adventuring through a landscape, on foot or in the air.

Continue Flybubble's free thermaling tips series with Carlo Borsattino as he discusses getting to cloudbase and planning ahead, identifying good cumulus, when to wait at cloudbase and much more. Solo flying affects us all deeply: at first it might be just exciting, overwhelming or downright scary. Over time, it grows into a passion, a freedom, a way of life. We hope that by sharing some of our experience and perspectives you can gain skills to help you stay in the air that little bit longer, to feel that little bit more control, to understand more and get more out of your flying

Continue the thermaling tips series with Carlo Borsattino as he searches through the air currents in Colombia to find the best lift. Learn how to identify the best part of the thermal and work with other pilots.

In this second episode, Carlo Borsattino provides in-flight commentary as he tries to climb out on his paraglider. Learn from an expert thermaler how to look out for lift, identify the best part of the thermal, work with other pilots, and much more.