Element Speed:Flight mode
Overview of your flight screen
Here we show you what you see on your screen during flight. In order to configure any of these indicators, follow these links: altitude adjustment, variometer profiles, which cover all of your acoustic settings as well, speed settings and general settings, such as time and units.
For your navigation, icons on the compass rose indicate bearings relative to your direction of flight. Your direction of flight is always at the very top of this display.
List of indicators
- ALT 1 gives your altitude above Mean Sea Level. It is automatically calibrated by GPS.
- Ground speed is given in kilometres per hour, knots, or miles per hour.
- The compass rose shows your direction of flight by indicating the relative position of True North with the symbol N. You are always flying toward the top of the compass rose.
- Last thermal shows the relative position of your last climb. If you need to return to that thermal, turn your glider so that the indicator appears at the top of the compass rose.
- The graphic vario shows your vertical speed (climb or sink) in metres per second, ranging from +10 m/s to -10 m/s. You may also choose feet per minute, ranging from +20 fpm x100 to -20 fpm x100.
- The integrated vario gives your vertical speed averaged over the last five seconds.
- Wind direction is shown once you have flown a few 360s. Your Element will automatically calculate the wind direction from your drift and show it as a large wind arrow in the compass rose.
Tip: Wind direction is shown on the display as an arrow in the compass rose. When the arrow points up, you have a tailwind. When landing, keep the wind arrow pointing down, that means you are flying into wind.
Note: The Element calculates wind direction and strength by measuring your track over the ground during 360-degree turns and calculating your drift. For the most accurate wind reading, you should fly two or more slow circles, holding constant speed and bank angle.
Relocating thermals
To help you in you local flight, your Element Speed will remember the location of the last thermal as you fly along. The bearing to your most recent thermal is displayed as a small arrow ↑ on the compass rose as well as the "last thermal" flight page showing bearing and distance to your last thermal (see below). If you fall out of a thermal, or if you are sinking out and want to return to the last thermal, turn your glider until the up arrow indicator appears at the top of the compass rose, then fly straight until you enter the thermal and begin climbing again. Learn how to configure the threshold for your last thermal indication.
Flight pages
You can scroll between different indications displayed in the lower part of your screen using the "pages" button on the keyboard.
- Glide ratio and ground speed:
- L/D-G: Glide ratio over ground
- km/h: Your ground speed is indicated here in your preferred unit, if you have a vane wind sensor connected, your air speed is shown on the right, toward the middle of your screen.
- Wind data: This page informs you about the Element's measurement of wind, which is calculated from your drift.
- Wind: Shows you the wind direction as a cardinal direction
- km/h: Indicates the wind speed in your chosen unit
- Last thermal ↑ page: This page shows you bearing and distance to your last climb.
- Last ↑.: Bearing to last thermal as a cardinal direction
- km.: Distance to last thermal in your preferred unit
- Launch: Helps you get back to your launch site
- Launch: Bearing to launch as a cardinal direction
- km: Distance to launch in your preferred unit
Audio volume
In flight you may adjust the audio volume by pressing the loudspeaker key on your keyboard.
Summary page upon landing
Note that upon landing, your Element will need a few seconds to determine for sure that you've stopped moving. Once it has, it will display a summary of your flight. While the flight summary is displayed, press the on/off button to switch off your Element Speed. The same summary page is presented to you in your flight memory. The flight summary page displays the following information:
- Maximum value of ALT1
- Maximum climb rate of the flight
- Maximum sink rate of the flight
- Total flight time
- Position in Element's memory (most recent flight is always #1)
- Date
- Time of take-off
