Ridge lift, or as I used to call it in geography class TM uplifts, results from wind striking an obstacle. If it is a hill it will tend to slide around it, if it is a long enough ridge it will be forced to go over it. This air, if it is rising faster than our glider sinks, gives us our lift. This lift is not directly above the ridge but extends about 30-40 degrees out from the top depending on the height above the ridge. 

The amount of lift or whether it occurs at all depends on several factors. 
1.Wind Strength - The greater the strength the more the lift 
2.Wind Direction - This can alter lift strength, smoothness and turbulence.Wind at 450 or more to the face of the ridge significantly reduces lift and increases turbulence. 
3.Shape of the Ridge - No ridge is perfectly smooth nor is running all in the same direction. Wind will funnel. up gorges or valleys and slide through gaps. This “venturi effects will speed up The wind in these areas. When the wind is at an angle to spurs, smaller ridges or protrudences on the main ridge it can produce areas of strong uplift on parts facing into the wind with turbulence and even sink behind.
4.Gradient- Some areas are steeper than others. Air will slide around peaks and flow faster where the ridge is smoother and less obstructed. A very steep area can cause the wind patten to break into turbulent eddies below the crest in front of the ridge. 
5.Ridge Surface - Changes in topograpy and vegetation will tend to spoil. the laminar flow of the air over the ridge. Sometimes smaller/smoother parts of the ridge will produce as much lift as higher, rougher or more vegetated areas. 
6.Height - As we move away from the ridge face the airflow is less obstructed and the lift will get smoother and weaker. Conversely if we sink below the ridgetop we can move into turbulence and eddies that can result in considerable sink depending on ridge steepness and shape. 
7.Landscape - Areas in front of the ridge can determine the smoothness and amount of lift. The best ridges will have unobstructed windf low. This is why the best sites are overlooking ocean & lakes large valleys or inland plains (eg Mt Kaputar). Some ridges inland don’t work because of wave patterns established by ridges or mountains upwind. 
8.Thermal lift - If the ridge is facing into the sun it can be a trigger for thermals. Similarly if there are thermal sources (eg ploughed or dark paddocks) upwind in front of the ridge the rising air can get pushed up against the ridge by the prevailing wind giving better lift in that area. On quite large ridge faces lift generated on the slope can accelerate up the face producing lift even on calm days. 

Coorabel Ridge

The ridge works through North to Easterly wind directions. Tyagarah strip is NE facing (05). Wind strength needs to be 15 - 20 knots depending on direction, a good indicator is if there are whitecaps on the ocean in front of the strip then the ridge is likely to be working. 

If the pressure differential over the inland is too high the sea breeze can stall or stop between the strip and the ridge then although there are whitecaps there's nothing on the ridge-you have been advised! 

The centre of the ridge (highway, Mc.loud’s Shoot to Possum Shoot Rd Coorabel) It works in both directions, especially NE. The southern end (highway to Suffolk Park) works best with a strong north component whereas the northern end to Montecollum, where the hang gliders launch, works well in NE - E. The ridge is broken after this to the powerstation. This part is still useable in ideal, strong conditions almost to opposite Mullumbimby. 

Northerly winds can produce some Lift (thermal too ) of f the north facing slopes of Mt Jerusalem and Mt Boogorem at the northern end of Main Arm Valley. 

Flying the Ridge 

The ridge varies in height but is approximately 600’ in the centre. Working the ridge low down you will find the lift is quite close in and you need to follow the ridge contours carefully, flying fairly close to the crest or in some parts of Coorabel Rd. The lift band here is narrower and you must fly accurately and smoothly while always keeping the speed at or above 50 kts. If you are at 600’ - 700’ and you lose 75’ - 100’ in a sloppy turn or you turn too far out then you can drop below the ridgeline into more turbulent air and even lose the lift. 

If this happens you may have to consider a motor restart. It’s amazing what it does to your peace of mind to have a good consistent couple of hundred feet of height above the ridgetop. 

If I’m working weak lift for a period of time level or just above the ridge I will occasionally start the motor so that it will not be dead cold if I drop out. At this height (approx 500’) you have limited time to find a landing spot and virtually no height to attempt an emergency air start. 

Higher up (900’ - 1000’) the lift is further out (40°- 45°) and easier and more relaxing to fly though it will taper off in strength. 

I have achieved personal best of 1600’ and best time of 3½ hours. I’m sure that given the right conditions that 5 hours would be achieveable. After all it was done back in the thirties, I think, with 5 hours plus achieved off a bungee launch. 

Ridge Flying Rules 

1.All turns to be away from the ridge. If you have enough height fly out from the ridge and try a 360° and see how far you can drift back in relation to the ground. 
2.You should overtake on the inside between the ridge and the other glider as, according to rule 1, he might turn out from the ridge to change direction. If there’s not a lot of room you do have a radio to advise your intentional 
3..Approaching “head - on” the glider with the ridge on the left shall turn right. Normally away from the ridge each glider has to turn right to avoid each other but just remember that if the ridge is on your right and you turn right you would be turning into the ridge and might crash, we don’t want that, so your glider goes straight and the other one that would be turning Out makes the right turn and “gives way” 
4.Don’t fly lower than 100’ (approx 2 plus wingspens) above the ground or within l00m horizontatly from a person, house or public road. No looking into the resident’s windows that tel 

Other UsefuI Tips 

Drift behind the road too far as there may be some turbulence/rotor downwind, unless you think that you are in thermal lift. 
•‘Turns should be accurate and reasonably tight especially at lower levels where the lift band is narrower. 
*Flyng south don’t try to cross the highway too quickly as there is often lift from the smooth slope below the road edge. 
*With a lot of north the ridge often works better flying in a soothly direction but you may lose the lift in places when you are coming back. Lift is not necessarily the same each way. 
*With a strong northerly component and 15-20 kt of wind you get very gusty x-wind conditions on the strip which can result in some quite interesting landings - be warned 
*With more than one glider on the ridge in close proximity use your radio to indicate if you are turn (direction and position) and also when you are leaving the ridge, the other glider doesn’t want to be left. guessing where you have gone and/or talking to themselves. 
*Be aware of outlanding sites. You should never assume that the motor will always startl 

Further information is available in Bernard Eckeys excellent article on ridge soaring parts 1-4 starting March 2004 in Australian Soaring magazine.