TOPTHERM

1. TopTask TOPTHERM TopTask Competition Modern meteorological forecasting tools for gliding activities

2. TOPTHERM The meteorological area forecast for gliding activities

3. Functions of TOPTHERM • Calculation of convective development on the basis of the topography • Allocation of a representative forecasted vertical sounding per Toptherm area • Integration of surface temperature and dewpoint by using the values of the meteorological observation stations • Integration of the forecasted daily changes of the MET conditions by using the outputs ot DWD’s 4-dimentional models (COSMO-EU)

4. Results of TOPTHERM • Starting and ending of thermals • Mean climb rate of a glider in mps • Cloudiness (typ, coverage, extension) • Special elements (showers, turbulence, cloud streets, wind) • Hourly potential flight distance for a standard class glider

5. Proposalof the functionalityofTOPTHERM

6. Task at 17 May 2002

7. Barogram of the flight at 17 May 2002

8. Analysisof the flightat 17 May 2002

9. V [km/h] XC 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 0 1 2 3 Climb rate Vz [m/s] Z Analysis of the flight:Climb rate -> Speed ASH-25 Flight performance good normal bad

10. Till now there were only an analysis of the thermal conditions of a flight! But what we need is a forecast of these thermal conditions. We want to know, who and when which conditions can be expected and what will influence this thermals during the day! This forecast delivers TOPTHERM !

11. Model TOPTHERM –> VZ!

12. Model Toptherm: Calculation of the development of the vertical structure of temperature and humidity during the day

13. TOPO: Area coupling by valley winds Reduktion 3D –> 2D !

14. Model Toptherm: daily development ofVZ

15. TOPTHERM – mean climb rate for any area

16. TOPTHERM:Input parameter for the calculation of the potential flight distance • Mean climb rate >0,4 mps in the Alps >0,8 mps • minimum altitude of flights above the median height: Blue thermals: 900 m Cloud thermals: 700 m

17. TOPTHERM - clouds, precipitation and turbulence

18. VZ–> VXC –> PFD

19. TopTaskThe meteorological flight route planning tool for soaring activities

20. Vision of glider pilots:Direct weather for long distance flights • Look at a thermal map (PFD-Values!)... • Selection of a flight task ... • Calculation of a flight plan ... • Adaptation of the task – and up in the air!

21. All these features are included in the TOPTHERMplannig toolTopTask

22. TopTask – the route planning tool for glider pilots Input parameter: • start and end of thermals • mean climb rate • tops of thermals or basis of cumulus clouds • wind in middle of the convective layer • type of glider • wing load

23. PFD-chart with task departure turnpoint 1 arrival turnpoint 2

24. Which date are necessary for the calculation of the flight route? • The climb rate for every area for the calculation of the potential flight distance (PFD) • the upper wind in the main flight levels • the topography

25. The Meteorology delivers: • Regional climb rateVz plus PFD ... • Synoptic wind ... With these both basic data and the under layed topography the flight route plan for a distance flight can be calculated

26. Long distance Tasks ... as a polygon

27. Phases of flights: • thermal flight with Cruising speed VXC(VZ) • climbing with VZ for more operation height • gliding to thermals (poss. outlanding) • final flight to destination

28. TopTask - Competition Further development of TopTask • processing of tasks from pc_met, SeeYou and Strepla • time optimized final flight with the forecasted meteorological climb rate

29. TopTask - Competition use • for flight planning issues • finding of an optimal departure window • checking of several standard tasks • for verification • comparison between flown route (IGC-file) with tasks planned with pc_met, SeeYou or Strepla

30. TopTask - Competition Program to support: • the task setter to find the right tasks • the pilots to find the best routes and the optimal departure window • debriefings

31. departure window with optimal departure time flown distance cumulus clouds calculated barogram blue: mean flight progress red: calculated flight progress TopTask Competition

32. Comparison of TopTherm-results with real flights

33. During the Switzerland championships (May 2004) the all tasks were for the first time exclusively set with TopTherm by the tasksetter. After the championship a verification take place between the planned and the real flown tasks. Additional a comparison was made between same extra ordinary long distance flights of Mathias Schunk and the TopTherm results. Both results should be presented in the following pransparencies.

34. Task at 29 May 2004

35. TopTask flight plan at 29 May 2004

36. Course of flight at 29 May 2004

37. Evaluated Tasks May 2004 351 km 187 km 263 km RM 355 km 509 km 461 km SM 328 km 289 km 531 km SM

38. Speed forecast with TopTask

39. 1000 km Weather [!!!] 08 June 2004 09 June 2004

40. 08.06.04: 1000 km FAI 18m Class (Mathias Schunk) 134 km/h Increase of the meteorological glide ratio: 49 --> 67

41. 09.06.04: 1000 km FAI Standardklasse (Mathias Schunk) 127 km/h Increase of the meteorologicalglide ratio: 44 --> 56

42. Improvement of TOPTHERMin the years 2006 and 2007 • Changing in the involvement of radiation parameters • Correction in the involvement of the distribution of the vertical temperature and humidity. • Adaptation of the areas, especially in the alps and the lower mountains (Hochschwarzwald/ Oberer Neckar/ Obere Donau) • Changing of the boundary conditions • Optimisation in the involvement of model grid points and synoptic stations to the regional areas • Local reduction of the evaporation • Better correlation of minimum convection heights with the area conditions

43. ……..Improvement of TOPTHERM 2007 and 2008 • For the first time area related quantitative consideration of dynamical effects (cloud streets and hang winds) • Extension of Toptherm into the whole European French area including the Pyrenees, into the western part of Poland (2007) and the whole Czech republic (2008) • Further improvements of the forecast • Area optimisation (Austria and France) • Optimisation of heating and evaporation • Involvement of detour portion (8%) • Consideration of the “second day effect”

44. …und 2009 Java-based internet version of TOPTHERM and TopTask Start: AERO 2009

45. Conclusion • At gliding competitions and individual flights, the speed forecasted with TopTask is a very good first approximation for the estimation of the daily maximum speed • GPS-based records of glider flights allow a detailed verification of the TOPTHERM-forecasts • With TopTask a high quality tool is available which can be used for the planning of tasks for task setters and glider pilots.