Ever see that quality score in Advanced Thermal Analysis and wonder if it actually means anything? Good news: it does. It's not just vibes. Let's break down exactly how that number gets calculated so you can understand what separates "Fair" from "Excellent" - and what you can do about it.
The Big Picture
The Overall Thermal Score (0-100) is a weighted combination of five factors:
| Factor | Weight | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Climb Rate | 30% | How strong was the lift? |
| Efficiency | 20% | How direct was your climb? |
| Centering Quality | 20% | How well did you stay in the core? |
| Consistency | 15% | How stable were the vario readings? |
| Sustained Skill | 15% | Did you actually work the thermal? |
Each factor gets normalized to a 0-1 scale, multiplied by its weight, then the whole thing gets scaled to 0-100. Simple in theory, revealing in practice.
The Sustained Skill factor is key: it prevents high scores from brief pass-throughs. Flying through strong lift for 15 seconds doesn't prove thermalling skill - actually circling and working the thermal does.
The Formula
Here's the actual calculation from the codebase:
Quality Score = (climbScore * 0.30 +
efficiencyScore * 0.20 +
centeringScore * 0.20 +
consistencyScore * 0.15 +
sustainedScore * 0.15) * 100
How Each Component Is Calculated
1. Climb Score
climbScore = min(1, climbrate / 3.0)
Your average climb rate divided by 3.0 m/s (capped at 1). So 3 m/s or better = perfect score. Lower = proportionally less.
2. Efficiency Score
efficiencyScore = heightGain / horizontalDistance
Already a 0-1 value. Perfect efficiency (going straight up) = 1.0. The more you drift horizontally, the lower this gets.
3. Centering Score
centeringScore = centeringQuality
This comes from the core analysis algorithm - how much time you spent near the thermal's sweet spot. Already 0-1.
4. Consistency Score
consistencyScore = max(0, 1 - variability / 2.0)
Inverse of your vario variability (standard deviation of climb readings). Smooth thermal = high score. Bouncing between +5 and -2 m/s = low score. Variability of 2 m/s or more = zero consistency contribution.
5. Sustained Score
durationFactor = min(1, duration / 90)
turnFactor = min(1, turnCount / 2)
sustainedScore = durationFactor * turnFactor
Combines duration and turn count to reward actual thermalling work. Full score requires ~90 seconds AND 2+ complete turns. A 15-second pass-through with 0 turns scores near zero here, even if the other metrics look great.
Worked Example: Thermal #9
Let's walk through a real calculation using concrete numbers. Say you worked a thermal with these stats:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Climb Rate | 2.15 m/s |
| Efficiency | 0.41 (41%) |
| Centering Quality | 0.53 (53%) |
| Variability | 0.92 m/s |
| Duration | 75 seconds |
| Turn Count | 3 turns |
Step 1: Calculate Each Component Score
Climb Score:
climbScore = min(1, 2.15 / 3.0)
climbScore = min(1, 0.717)
climbScore = 0.717
Your 2.15 m/s climb rate is 71.7% of the "perfect" 3.0 m/s benchmark.
Efficiency Score:
efficiencyScore = 0.41
Already normalized. You gained 41% as much vertical as you traveled horizontal. Pretty typical for a drifty thermal.
Centering Score:
centeringScore = 0.53
You spent about half your time in decent lift. Room for improvement, but not bad.
Consistency Score:
consistencyScore = max(0, 1 - 0.92 / 2.0)
consistencyScore = max(0, 1 - 0.46)
consistencyScore = 0.54
Your vario variability of 0.92 m/s means the lift was somewhat turbulent, but not crazy.
Sustained Score:
durationFactor = min(1, 75 / 90) = 0.833
turnFactor = min(1, 3 / 2) = 1.0
sustainedScore = 0.833 * 1.0 = 0.833
You spent 75 seconds and made 3 complete turns - solid thermalling work.
Step 2: Apply the Weights
Now multiply each score by its weight:
| Component | Score | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climb | 0.717 | 0.30 | 0.215 |
| Efficiency | 0.41 | 0.20 | 0.082 |
| Centering | 0.53 | 0.20 | 0.106 |
| Consistency | 0.54 | 0.15 | 0.081 |
| Sustained | 0.833 | 0.15 | 0.125 |
| Total | 0.609 |
Step 3: Scale to 0-100
qualityScore = round(0.609 * 100) = 61
Result: Overall Score of 61 - solidly in the "Good" range.
Interpreting Your Score
| Score Range | Rating | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 70-100 | Excellent | Competition-level thermalling. You found the core fast and stayed in it. |
| 50-69 | Good | Solid work. You got the altitude without wasting too much time. |
| 25-49 | Fair | Got the job done, but left some performance on the table. |
| 0-24 | Poor | Struggled to find/keep the core, or conditions were truly awful. |
What Each Component Tells You
Climb Rate (30% weight)
This is the most heavily weighted because... well, the whole point is going up. But don't obsess over it - sometimes a 1.5 m/s thermal you work perfectly is worth more XC miles than a 4.0 m/s thermal you keep falling out of.
Low climb score?
- The thermal was genuinely weak (not your fault)
- You spent too much time on the edges (check centering)
- You were late to the party and caught only the top
Efficiency (20% weight)
Efficiency = height gained / horizontal distance traveled. A perfect helix going straight up would score 1.0 (and also be impossible in any real wind).
Typical values:
- 0.3-0.4: Normal, some drift
- 0.5-0.6: Very good, tight circles
- 0.6+: Excellent, minimal drift
Low efficiency?
- Strong wind pushing you sideways
- Wide circles or poor bank angle
- Entering downwind and never correcting
Centering Quality (20% weight)
How much time you spent in the good stuff vs. wandering the edges. Calculated using an exponential distance decay from the core: the further from center, the faster your score drops.
Low centering?
- Took a while to find the core
- Kept drifting out and re-centering
- The core moved (bubble thermal) or was very small
Consistency (15% weight)
Based on the standard deviation of your vario readings. Smooth, steady beep = high score. Vario going nuts = low score.
Low consistency?
- Turbulent thermal (not always your fault)
- Kept flying through the core and out the other side
- Mixed lift and sink in the same turn
Sustained Skill (15% weight)
Combines duration and turn count to prove you actually worked the thermal vs. just passing through. Flying through 4 m/s lift for 10 seconds isn't thermalling - it's luck. This factor rewards pilots who commit to the thermal and work it properly.
Full score requires:
- ~90 seconds of duration (shorter thermals score proportionally less)
- 2+ complete turns (fewer turns score proportionally less)
The two factors multiply together, so you need BOTH to score well here. A 2-minute straight glide through lift (0 turns) scores zero. A single quick 360 in weak lift (10 seconds) also scores near zero.
Low sustained score?
- You left the thermal too early
- You didn't commit to circling (pass-through)
- The thermal died before you could work it properly
How to Improve Your Score
Quick Wins
- Tighten up when you hit lift - Don't wait, start turning immediately when the vario spikes
- Shift your circle toward the lift - Classic centering technique: widen on the way out, tighten on the way in
- Watch your bank angle - Too shallow = wide circles = drift. Too steep = inefficient in weak lift
Track Your Progress
Open the same thermal in the analysis tool after multiple flights from the same site. You'll start to see patterns:
- "I always struggle centering at this launch"
- "My afternoon thermals have better consistency"
- "That new wing really improved my efficiency"
Don't Chase the Number
A score of 45 in a broken, punchy thermal might represent better flying than a 70 in a smooth, fat column. Context matters. Use the score to track your own progress over time, not to compare yourself to others on different days.
Behind the Scenes: Why These Weights?
The weights (30/20/20/15/15) weren't pulled from thin air. They're based on what actually matters for effective thermalling:
-
Climb rate leads (30%) because the primary goal is going up. A weak thermal worked perfectly is still a weak thermal.
-
Efficiency and centering share technique weight (20% each) because they're both about skill. You can have one without the other (good centering but drifting out, or tight circles in the wrong spot).
-
Consistency is a modifier (15%) because some turbulence is out of your control. It affects your score, but doesn't dominate it.
-
Sustained skill filters flukes (15%) because briefly flying through strong lift isn't thermalling - it's luck. This factor ensures high scores go to pilots who actually committed to working the thermal.
Example Scenarios
The Lucky Elevator Ride
| Metric | Value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Climb Rate | 4.2 m/s | 1.0 (capped) |
| Efficiency | 0.65 | 0.65 |
| Centering | 0.78 | 0.78 |
| Consistency | 0.38 m/s | 0.81 |
| Duration / Turns | 120s / 4 turns | 1.0 |
Contributions: 0.30 + 0.13 + 0.156 + 0.122 + 0.15 = 0.86 Score: 86 (Excellent)
You hit a monster thermal, stayed in the core, and rode it for two solid minutes. Dream scenario.
The Brief Pass-Through (Penalized)
| Metric | Value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Climb Rate | 3.5 m/s | 1.0 (capped) |
| Efficiency | 0.72 | 0.72 |
| Centering | 0.85 | 0.85 |
| Consistency | 0.45 m/s | 0.78 |
| Duration / Turns | 18s / 0 turns | 0.0 |
Contributions: 0.30 + 0.144 + 0.17 + 0.117 + 0.0 = 0.73 Score: 73 (Excellent... but barely)
Strong lift, great vario readings - but you flew straight through without committing to circle. The zero sustained score pulls this down significantly. In the old scoring system, this would have been 85+.
The Hard-Fought Climb
| Metric | Value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Climb Rate | 1.8 m/s | 0.60 |
| Efficiency | 0.38 | 0.38 |
| Centering | 0.45 | 0.45 |
| Consistency | 1.4 m/s | 0.30 |
| Duration / Turns | 180s / 6 turns | 1.0 |
Contributions: 0.18 + 0.076 + 0.09 + 0.045 + 0.15 = 0.54 Score: 54 (Good)
Weak thermal, broken core, lots of searching. But you stuck with it for 3 minutes and made 6 turns. That persistence is rewarded.
The Core Crusher
| Metric | Value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Climb Rate | 2.4 m/s | 0.80 |
| Efficiency | 0.52 | 0.52 |
| Centering | 0.85 | 0.85 |
| Consistency | 0.65 m/s | 0.68 |
| Duration / Turns | 95s / 3 turns | 1.0 |
Contributions: 0.24 + 0.104 + 0.17 + 0.102 + 0.15 = 0.77 Score: 77 (Excellent)
Moderate thermal, but you absolutely nailed the centering and worked it properly. Technique over power.
The Bottom Line
The Overall Thermal Score isn't meant to judge you - it's meant to give you feedback. A numerical summary of "what happened in there" so you can learn from each thermal instead of just remembering "that was a good one."
Use it to:
- Spot patterns in your flying
- Track improvement over time
- Identify specific weaknesses to work on
- Brag to your friends with actual data
And remember: even a "Fair" thermal that got you to the next climb is better than an "Excellent" one you didn't take because you were waiting for something better.
Now go fly something!
See also: Advanced Thermal Analysis | Analysis Settings