Table 1.

Soaring flight data determined for the Peregrine falcon, White stork, and paraglider

Flyer	r+, m	r–, m	vcircling, m/s	vclimb, m/s	vxy, m/s	vz, m/s	AB,°	T, s
Falcon	20.2	22.0	10.0	1.4	13.3	−1.9	26	15.4
Stork	22.3	21.1	9.5	0.9	12.1	−1.1	23	15.5
Paraglider	24.9	26.0	8.7	1.4	10.9	−1.3	17	20.1

r₊ and r_–, thermal circling radius in counterclockwise and clockwise directions, respectively; v_circling, average circling velocity, horizontal velocity component during thermalling; v_climb, average climb rate, vertical velocity during thermalling; v_xy, average horizontal velocity during gliding; v_z, average vertical velocity during gliding; sinking velocity, sink rate; AB, angle of bank; T, circling period time.