I have duplicated this post and used it to start a thread of it's own within this forum. FSOne and thermal glidering is the thread.

In the terrific new FAQ, there is a helpful section on thermal flying including a Blue Dot cheat map of the thermals in just one of the thermal sets. Otherwise it's totally up to you to find them.

I've flown the Ascent model there since that's a plane I'm familiar with in the real world. It's tough for me to find and to climb in the thermals even if you know generally where they are. They seem so tiny compared with the size and turning ability of the plane. If I fly high where the thermals are larger in diameter, I lose track of where I am down on the ground, where the map is useful, so so far I cannot find the thermals when I'm at high altitude.

I've used the Variometer, both audio and on-screen. It definitely works, it helps, and the thermals do exist. But realize I likely cannot afford one in the real world. So I don't feel like spending too much time learning and practicing on something that I cannot afford. Actually the same goes for the bombs and the rockets in that game part of this simulation. But I digress...

So far I've not managed to see the visual signs of touching, entering, or leaving a thermal with the Ascent. Neither in person when another person was successfully thermaling, nor in this great simulation. Perhaps the Ascent is just not that good a plane for this type thermaling?

Anyone here played with the FSOne thermaling much or enough to have an comments or suggestions on using it?