TopTask: Meteorological Flight Planning for Soaring

Abstract

Modern meteorological forecasts for gliding provide the diurnal evolution of convective lift rates and of the wind.  Both are crucial for scheduling soaring flight tasks.  A software tool named TopTask has been developed to establish flight plans for individual flight tasks.  Flight plans can be obtained for all types of soaring flight: slow gliders with low glide ratios and wing loadings, which are more sensitive to wind, as well as fast gliders with high glide ratios and wing loadings.  An interactive preflight optimization of tasks is possible in real-time for all types of gliders and based on routine forecasts.  Tactical decisions, such as clock- or counter-clockwise attempts to fly a triangular task, can be supported.  Analysis of recorded flight data and their comparison with the forecasted meteorological flight plan can be useful to meteorologists and pilots.  The task setting for individual and for contest flights is hoped to be substantially simplified with this new tool.