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 — Strong climbers

10 pilots · ranks 1–21 · median 5.5 · middle half 3.3–9.5

High — Climbing faster than the pilots sharing the thermal group median P82 in this field (76 percent) · usually a strength
High — Share of lift turned in that was kept as a climb group median P80 in this field (75 percent)
High — Gliding wide of the optimal course line group median P79 in this field (6 percent)
High — Glide speed between climbs group median P78 in this field (56.6 kilometres per hour) · usually a strength

1. Hughbert Alexander (most typical of this group)
2. Steven Crosby
3. Jon Durand
4. Michael Smith
5. Jason Kath
6. Troy Horton
8. Steve Docherty
10. Neale Halsall
16. Mick Lamb
21. Scotty Ireland

Group B — Gaggle flyers

12 pilots · ranks 7–24 · median 14.5 · middle half 11.8–18.5

High — Time spent flying with a gaggle group median P81 in this field (62 percent)
High — Share of race time spent hunting for the next climb group median P78 in this field (54 percent) · usually costly
High — Share of the height gain made outside thermals group median P74 in this field (39 percent)
High — Share of the flight spent in air that wasn’t sinking group median P70 in this field (63 percent)

7. James Wynd
9. Paul Bissett-Amess
11. Todd Wisewould
12. Peter Burkitt
13. Mitch Butler
14. Dustan Hansen
15. Donny Gardner
17. Richard Martin
18. Neil Hooke
20. Peter Adriaans (most typical of this group)
22. Hossain Tefaili
24. Jason Carman

Not clustered: 19. Jay Kubeil — only 11 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 23. Paul Lawrence — only 8 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 25. John Harriott — only 8 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 26. Jason Lannstrom — only 11 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 27. Adrian Connor — only 8 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 28. Ward Gunn — only 8 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 29. Marcus De Vecchi — only 10 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 30. Pete Bolton — only 8 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 31. James Atkinson — only 3 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 32. Bruce Atkinson — only 1 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 33. Keith Lavers — only 2 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 34. Tushar Pokle — only 1 of 19 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%).

22 pilots on 19 behavioural metrics formed 2 groups.