SURVEY BLTOP-COMMENTS

4 =========== Roy Parzyk *AT* Arlington, WA
not very accurate over mountains, much better over desert

26 =========== ---------- *AT* Idaho Falls, ID/Driggs, ID
I don't use any of these enough to say how accurate they are or how well they agree with actual conditions. We fly in the big mountains, so they alter the predictions, I would guess.

45 =========== Bill Geiger *AT* Keystone Gliderport Julian, PA
The predictions are generally quite accurate given they forecast for a wide area and conditions vary locally.

62 =========== ---------- *AT* Fremont, CA
PGs normally cannot get this high; I use Hcrit

109 =========== Gary Rubus *AT* Buena Vista, CO
This comment applies to all parameters: I do not have a favorite parameter, nor a favorite time of day. I believe that the most accurate picture of the day's potential is 1) as late as possible before the flight; 2) a composite understanding of the trends of the day in all parameters for the entire forecast flying period. My current flight goals, however, are badge/records ONLY, not competition.

164 =========== ---------- *AT* sterling, MA (3b3)
good match over all

166 =========== James Gaar *AT* Ottawa, KS
not tested

179 =========== ---------- *AT* Ellenville, NY near Wurtsboro, NY
I use cloudbase instead as there are rarely any blue soaring days in New England that are worth much.

199 =========== ---------- *AT* Cushing Field, Newark IL
In our area, winds at altitude can radically change this on a minute by minute basis. But generally a good indicator.

220 =========== ---------- *AT* Kelly Airpark, Denver, CO
During the winter I use this more than the critical updraft strength.

221 =========== Bill Whelan *AT* FDK MD
Generally pay attention to crit hts vs this parameter.

231 =========== ---------- *AT* Sterling, MA
See above.

246 =========== ---------- *AT* Alexandria I99
Very good and accurate

261 =========== ---------- *AT* Truckee/Minden
I found these to be a little more optimistic then actual conditions.

264 =========== Roger Fowler *AT* Harnett Co Airport, NC
Last year was a terrible year in the southeast. It was so wet that even on soarable days, things did not develop as the forecasts (blipmap and others) indicated

275 =========== ryszard krolikowski *AT* Blairstown,NJ
not accurate durning sports nationals

276 =========== Doug Levy *AT* Warner Springs, Ca
I look at this first

282 =========== Jim Hays *AT* Air Sailing, NV
Same comment as above

293 =========== Bob Gibbons *AT* Caddo Mills, TX
Based on past 6 months

306 =========== ---------- *AT* Mission Peak -- Fremont, CA
This tends to be a very good indicator of the day when the Oakland soundings show agreement for the day and it looks good. When the marine layer dominates, this prediction can be off significantly -- either missing a good ridge lift day, or calling a decent thermal day when the marine layer shuts it down.

381 =========== Ben Rogers *AT* hernandez
If you can't get to BLTop, which HG pilots usually can't, then there is no way to know. We use this to guesstimate max potential height we can get to.

397 =========== Dan Shoemaker *AT* Caddo Mills, TX
I'm in flatter terrain, so that may be an advantage for the model.

416 =========== Morgan Hall *AT* Plowshare Peak, HG Launch near New Cuyama, CA
Our flying routes are usually along the mountain ranges and I think that these are too small to get properly accounted for in the system. The predictions might be more accurate for the valley.

441 =========== ---------- *AT* La Grange, GA
Predictions seem too high for one of my soaring sites (Chilhowee, TN), and too low for the other (La Grange, GA). The La Grange area is consistently better for thermals even when the BLIPmap knows no difference. Maybe its the soil / type of plants.

461 =========== Finbar Sheehy *AT* Warner Springs CA
Not sure, but I think in the mountains the peaks produce thermals that go quite a bit higher. Valley thermals may well be close to the prediction - I don't have a lot of experience with them.

467 =========== John Medley *AT* Crystalaire Llano, CA
Have not been keeping track of "error" enough to provide a comment in that column on this one

468 =========== ---------- *AT* Austin, TX
When there is enough lift to stay up, how high I can do so is not as important to me, although I typically get this figure from a Skew-T diagram as a further measure of relative thermal strenth.

477 =========== ---------- *AT* Ridgely, MD
I often get to BL top and above.

479 =========== ---------- *AT* hemet, ca
I have no way of knowing accuracy, as I never get to the actual top of the boundary layer.

486 =========== Martin Hellman *AT* Hayward, CA
Again, amazing how accurage it is.

515 =========== Ramy Yanetz *AT* Hollister
The most important, consistant and accurate parameter