Average climb rate?

[David S]

Does any vario have the option of displaying the average climb rate?  

I am acquainted with only a few electric varios, and they all will display the average vario reading.  But that value averages in gusts and such.

So, what I would really like to know is the true average climb rate as determined by the change in altitude over a period of time.  It sounds easy enough.  Is there a vario that does it?

My S100 can display average vario, average netto, and average HAWK, but there's no mention of average climb rate.

   ...david

[Tony Condon]

The S100 shows this with a green T. The average bottom to top climb rate of the thermal

[David S]

Did you read my post?  The S100 manual defines the green T as "Average vario from beginning of circling".   I'm asking for something else.

   ...david

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[JC Garrison]

See the Clear Nav Vario

https://www.clearnav.net/cnv-variometer.html

It says it shows last circle average (roughly 20 sec) and bottom to top climb average in the thermal assist mode

[Charles Mampe]

In flight, not that I know of. Upload sites (like WeGlide) will show that in stats among other things. But that is all post flight.

Why do you want to know?

[David S]

I think I want this in an infobox during flight.  It strikes me as a better way to get the climb rate, unless altitude measurements have too little accuracy or too much noise, which seems doubtful.

Averaging the vario reading means that gusts are included in the result.  Computing the climb rate from the altimeter removes that problem (I think).  Of course, we now have stick thermals in the result, but I never glance at the averager until I'm well established in a thermal, and speed is pretty much steady by then.

   ...david

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[Eric Greenwell]

Once I'm centered, I rarely see the gusts that are more common while cruising, so the average around the circle (about 20-30 seconds) appears to be a very good measure of the climb rate. If it's gusty, I'm pretty sure the effect of gusts is going to average out, one of the reasons for having the average, and with HAWK, the effect of gusts should be nearly zero, anyway. That's why you pay the big bucks for it.

The bigger question is: "How will a more accurate total climb rate benefit you?" I don't know how that information would help me.

Eric

[David S]

You may well be right.  Maybe this is all academic.  But I don't know the size of the difference, or if there is a difference, and I don't have any flight data that would allow me to calculate it post-flight and compare the two.  Sounds like getting that data should be my next step.

The situations that I can imagine it making a difference are those rough days with ratty thermals that you can't climb all the way around and hit gusts on the weak side.  Or strong days where the best thermals break through the inversion layer.  It is often gusty as you get through the wind shift in the inversion, and the climb might slow down until you are through.

It would get interesting if in these situations some climb rate measures show that you are making progress and another says that you are not, or that you are not progressing enough to stick with it.

   ...david

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[*Eric Greenwell1*]

"Making progress" at the top of a thermal is easier to measure with an average over one or two circles than a "total climb rate for the thermal" average which includes 10-20 circles. The altimeter will also tell you if you are making progress.

But, doesn't Hawk give you the information you want? It's supposed to indicate actual climb rate by ignoring gusts.

Eric

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[Stefan Will]

SeeYou Navigator / Oudie N has a “Last Thermal” navbox that shows the “Average climb of the current or last thermal. Averaged between entering and leaving the thermal”. 

On Apr 26, 2026, at 11:49 AM, *Eric Greenwell1* <engre...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[David S]

@Eric Yes, I am only thinking of a typical 20-second average, though several replies have pointed to total climb avengers as possible helpers.

I use HAWK in cruise but have given up on it for thermals.  Too many times I've been circling, listening to HAWK beep happily as I look outside, only to glance at the altimeter and see that I've lost 200 feet (pitch and yaw offsets have been checked and re-checked).

   ...david

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