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

2 pilots · ranks 1–2 · median 1.5 · middle half 1.3–1.8

High — How much of the thermal the pilot climbed before leaving it group median P96 in this field (90 percent)
Low — Share of race time spent hunting for the next climb group median P4 in this field (19 percent) · usually a strength
Low — Gliding wide of the optimal course line group median P5 in this field (25 percent)
High — How low the pilot gets between climbs group median P95 in this field (72 percent)

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

Group B — Gaggle flyers

4 pilots · ranks 3–11 · median 5.5 · middle half 4.5–7.3

High — Time spent flying with a gaggle group median P85 in this field (14 percent)
Low — Distance covered between climbs group median P17 in this field (1.4 kilometres) · usually costly
Low — Arriving at ESS with height to spare group median P17 in this field (348 metres) · usually a strength
Low — How round and consistent the circles were group median P18 in this field (0.11 ratio)

3. Harrison Rowntree
5. Sam Prest (most typical of this group)
6. James Wynd
11. Steve Norman

Group C — Slow gliders

3 pilots · ranks 4–9 · median 6 · middle half 5–7.5

Low — Glide speed between climbs group median P8 in this field (41.8 kilometres per hour) · usually costly
Low — Glide L/D against the field median group median P9 in this field (0.88 ratio) · usually costly
High — Climbing faster than the pilots sharing the thermal group median P88 in this field (77 percent) · usually a strength
High — Low saves dug out from the bottom of the band group median P85 in this field (3.0 count)

4. Neale Halsall
6. Michael Free (most typical of this group)
9. Mark Divito

Group D — Circle climbers

4 pilots · ranks 8–14 · median 11 · middle half 9.5–12.5

Low — Share of the height gain made outside thermals group median P14 in this field (8 percent)
Low — Share of lift turned in that was kept as a climb group median P17 in this field (45 percent)
High — How round and consistent the circles were group median P82 in this field (0.16 ratio)
High — Glide L/D against the field median group median P82 in this field (1.14 ratio) · usually a strength

8. Adam Stevens
10. Hughbert Alexander
12. Peter Adriaans (most typical of this group)
14. Ollie Chitty

Not clustered: 13. Todd Wisewould — only 11 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 14. Mitch Butler — only 5 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 14. Keith Lavers — only 4 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 14. Tushar Pokle — only 4 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%).

13 pilots on 20 behavioural metrics formed 4 groups.