TOPTHERMTOPTHERM

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TopTaskTopTaskTopTask TopTask

CompetitionCompetition

Modern meteorological forecasting tools for gliding activities

TOPTHERM

The meteorological area forecastfor gliding activities

02 - 2009

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)

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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

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Proposalof the

functionalityof

TOPTHERM

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Task at 17 May 2002

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Barogram of the flight at 17 May 2002

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Analysisof the flight

at 17 May 2002

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Analysis of the flight:Climb rate -> Speed

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0 1 2 30

20

40

60

80

100

120

Climb rate VzZ [m/s]

VXC [km/h]

ASH-25

Flight performancegood

normal

bad

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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 !

Model TOPTHERM

–> VZ!

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TEMP TOPO

TREND

VZ

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

TOPO: Area coupling by valley windsTOPO: Area coupling by valley winds

Reduktion 3D –> 2D !02 - 2009

1000 2000 3000

1000

2000

3000

1000 2000 3000

1000

2000

3000

1000 2000 3000

1000

2000

3000

Surface [km2]

[m M

SL

]

A

A

B

B

C

D D

1000 2000 3000

1000

2000

3000

[m M

SL

][m

MS

L]

[m M

SL

]

C

Model Toptherm: daily development of VVZZ

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TOPTHERM – mean climb rate for any area

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 mCloud thermals: 700 m

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TOPTHERM - clouds, precipitation and turbulence

VZ –> VXC –> PFD

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TopTask The meteorological flight route planning tool

for soaring activities

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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!

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All these features are included in the

TOPTHERMplannig tool TopTask

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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

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departureturnpoint 1

turnpoint 2

arrival

PFD-chart with task

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

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The Meteorology delivers:

• Regional climb rateRegional climb rate VVzz plus plus PFDPFD ... ...• Synoptic wind Synoptic wind ......

With these both basic data and the under layed topography the flight route plan for a distance flight can be calculated

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Long distance Tasks ...

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as a polygonas a polygon

A

B

C

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

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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

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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

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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

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TopTask Competition

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departure window with optimal

departure time

calculated barogram

flown distance

blue: mean flight progress red: calculated flight progress

cumulus clouds

Comparison of TopTherm-results

with real flights

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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.

Task at 29 May 2004

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TopTask flight plan at 29 May 2004

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Course of flight at 29 May 2004

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Evaluated Tasks

May 2004

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RM

SM

SM

187 km 351 km 263 km

355 km 509 km 461 km

328 km 289 km 531 km

Speed forecast with TopTask02 - 2009

TopTask Vorhersage [km/h]

Segelflug [km/h]

0 20 40 60 80 100 1200

20

40

60

80

100

120

Umwege…

Aufwindlinien…

Offene Klasse18m KlasseStandardklasse

54 Wettbewerbs-Flüge an RM/SM Birrfeld 2004

(9 Tage mit je 3 Flugaufgaben, 1. und 2. Tagesrang)

-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 400

4

8

12

0

4

8

12

Abweichung [%]

Umwege … Aufwindlinien…

1000 km Weather [!!!]

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08 June 2004 09 June 2004

08.06.04: 1000 km FAI 18m Class (Mathias Schunk)

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Increase of the meteorological glide ratio: 49 --> 67

134 km/h

09.06.04: 1000 km FAI Standardklasse (Mathias Schunk)

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Increase of the meteorological glide ratio: 44 --> 56

127 km/h

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

02 - 2008

……..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”

02 - 2008

…und 2009

Java-based internet version of TOPTHERM and TopTask

Start: AERO 2009

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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.

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