Flying style

Pilots grouped by how alike their flying was.

Analysis computed

The groups are flying style, and not score. The spread of ranks in each group shows where that style paid and where it did not.

Group A — High leavers

3 pilots · ranks 1–8 · median 2 · middle half 1.5–5

High — How much of the thermal the pilot climbed before leaving it group median P92 in this field (88 percent)
High — Arriving at ESS with height to spare group median P92 in this field (793 metres) · usually costly
Low — Gliding wide of the optimal course line group median P9 in this field (29 percent)
High — How low the pilot gets between climbs group median P90 in this field (65 percent)

1. Rohan Holtkamp (most typical of this group)
2. Tony Cross
8. Adam Stevens

Group B — Smooth circlers

4 pilots · ranks 3–11 · median 4.5 · middle half 3.8–6.5

Low — How round and consistent the circles were group median P18 in this field (0.11 ratio)
High — Climb rate at thermal exit group median P80 in this field (1.7 metres per second)
High — Gliding wide of the optimal course line group median P77 in this field (71 percent)
Low — How low the pilot gets between climbs group median P25 in this field (24 percent)

3. Harrison Rowntree
4. Neale Halsall
5. Sam Prest (most typical of this group)
11. Steve Norman

Group C — Rough circlers

4 pilots · ranks 6–10 · median 8 · middle half 6.8–9.3

High — How round and consistent the circles were group median P93 in this field (0.30 ratio)
High — Time to core thermals group median P91 in this field (73 seconds)
Low — Climb rate at thermal exit group median P10 in this field (0.3 metres per second)
Low — Share of the height gain made outside thermals group median P14 in this field (2 percent)

6. Michael Free (most typical of this group)
7. James Wynd
9. Mark Divito
10. Hughbert Alexander

Group D — Choosy climbers

3 pilots · ranks 12–15 · median 13 · middle half 12.5–14

Low — Share of lift turned in that was kept as a climb group median P4 in this field (29 percent)
Low — How much of the thermal the pilot climbed before leaving it group median P8 in this field (5 percent)
High — Share of race time spent hunting for the next climb group median P92 in this field (63 percent) · usually costly
High — Final glide committed to when leaving the last climb group median P92 in this field (12.89 ratio)

12. Peter Adriaans
13. Todd Wisewould (most typical of this group)
15. Ollie Chitty

Not clustered: 14. Mitch Butler — only 5 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 16. Keith Lavers — only 4 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 17. Tushar Pokle — only 4 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%).

14 pilots on 20 behavioural metrics formed 4 groups.