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 — Unfussy climbers

8 pilots · ranks 3–17 · median 7.5 · middle half 4.8–12.8

High — Share of lift turned in that was kept as a climb group median P88 in this field (80 percent)
Low — Share of race time spent hunting for the next climb group median P17 in this field (36 percent) · usually a strength
High — Low saves dug out from the bottom of the band group median P82 in this field (1.0 count)
High — How much of the thermal the pilot climbed before leaving it group median P80 in this field (56 percent)

3. Tony Cross
4. Gordon Rigg
5. Jon Durand
6. Guy Hubbard (most typical of this group)
9. Rich Reinauer
12. Olav Opsanger
15. Paul Bissett-Amess
17. Ian Miller

Group B — Stop-often flyers

10 pilots · ranks 2–35 · median 17 · middle half 9.3–24.3

Low — Distance covered between climbs group median P18 in this field (0.9 kilometres) · usually costly
High — Share of the flight spent in air that wasn’t sinking group median P82 in this field (65 percent)
Low — How long after the gate opened the pilot started group median P20 in this field (3559 seconds) · usually a strength
High — Gliding wide of the optimal course line group median P79 in this field (79 percent)

2. Rory Duncan
7. Vic Hare
8. Steve Docherty
13. Ken Millard
14. Mitch Butler (most typical of this group)
20. Michael Free
22. John Harriott
25. Steve Blenkinsop
33. Gavin Nicholls
35. David Drabble

Group C — Rough circlers

3 pilots · ranks 1–32 · median 19 · middle half 10–25.5

High — How round and consistent the circles were group median P98 in this field (0.29 ratio)
Low — Climb rate at thermal exit group median P2 in this field (0.4 metres per second)
Low — Climbing faster than the pilots sharing the thermal group median P2 in this field (41 percent) · usually costly
Low — Share of the height gain made outside thermals group median P5 in this field (6 percent)

1. Nils Vesk
19. Stuart Cathcart (most typical of this group)
32. Bobby Gillham

Group D — Few-stop racers

7 pilots · ranks 10–30 · median 23 · middle half 14.5–25

High — Distance covered between climbs group median P89 in this field (3.9 kilometres) · usually a strength
Low — Share of the flight spent in air that wasn’t sinking group median P15 in this field (58 percent)
High — How long after the gate opened the pilot started group median P82 in this field (5993 seconds) · usually costly
Low — How low the pilot gets between climbs group median P22 in this field (-7 percent)

10. Ward Gunn
11. Rohan Holtkamp
18. Pawel Cedro
23. Neill Hollingsworth
24. Adrian Connor
26. Gary Herman (most typical of this group)
30. Diego Mendonca

Group E — High leavers

5 pilots · ranks 16–38 · median 28 · middle half 27–36

High — How much of the thermal the pilot climbed before leaving it group median P90 in this field (62 percent)
Low — Climbing faster than the pilots sharing the thermal group median P13 in this field (57 percent) · usually costly
Low — How round and consistent the circles were group median P16 in this field (0.14 ratio)
Low — Time to core thermals group median P16 in this field (24 seconds)

16. Neale Halsall
27. Todd Wisewould
28. Neil Hooke
36. Peter Garrone (most typical of this group)
38. Brett Davis

Group F — Lone wolves

8 pilots · ranks 21–46 · median 41 · middle half 32.8–43.5

Low — Time spent flying with a gaggle group median P10 in this field (0 percent)
Low — Climbs joined on another pilot's marker group median P14 in this field (0 percent)
Low — Glide speed between climbs group median P16 in this field (49.7 kilometres per hour) · usually costly
High — Share of race time spent hunting for the next climb group median P82 in this field (62 percent) · usually costly

21. Grant Tatham
29. Mark Jeffree (most typical of this group)
34. Trent Brown
40. Cedric Joyce
42. Marty Hearne
43. Enda Carrigan
45. Tushar Pokle
46. Scott Barrett

Not clustered: 31. Jochen Zeischka — only 11 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 37. Andrew Sutton — only 9 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 39. Troy Horton — only 10 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 41. Peter Burkitt — only 9 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 44. Bruce Atkinson — only 9 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%); 47. Wayne Johnston — only 1 of 20 metrics available (needs ≥ 60%).

41 pilots on 20 behavioural metrics formed 6 groups.