HAWK - Technology
HAWK: Understanding the Air and Making Better Use of Lift
A conventional variometer indicates how fast your glider is climbing or descending. HAWK goes a step further by estimating the vertical and horizontal movement of the surrounding air mass. This gives pilots additional information to help locate thermals and use them more efficiently.
HAWK does not automatically centre thermals, nor does it replace looking outside or good flying technique. It is an additional source of information that becomes more useful as you learn to interpret it.
What Does HAWK Actually Calculate?
HAWK combines data from GPS, pressure sensors and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) with a mathematical model of glider movement. Using an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), the system continuously estimates the three-dimensional movement of the surrounding air. Compared with a conventional total-energy-compensated variometer, HAWK can better distinguish actual changes in the air mass from certain effects caused by airspeed changes and turbulence.
Ground-relative movement
Altitude and airspeed
Acceleration and rotation
Netto / Potential climb rate
Wind direction and speed
Simplified illustration of the operating principle, not a complete sensor architecture or instrument display.
Two Needles, Two Different Types of Information
In the recommended dual-needle display, the blue HAWK needle represents the modelled potential climb rate of the glider within the surrounding air mass. The red TE needle indicates the actual variometer reading. Comparing the two values can help pilots evaluate how efficiently they are using the available lift.
An estimate of the climb rate the glider could approximately achieve in the current air mass, according to the model.
The currently indicated climb or sink rate of the glider from the conventional total-energy-compensated variometer.
The colours refer to the display configuration described by LXNAV. The actual appearance depends on your instrument settings.
How to Use HAWK in Flight
Verify the mounting orientation of the sensor unit, the AHRS alignment (pitch and yaw according to the manual), and the correct glider polar. Incorrect sensor alignment can also affect the HAWK calculations.
HAWK Netto can indicate more favourable or less favourable air-mass conditions than the conventional TE variometer alone. This helps distinguish between changes in the surrounding air and changes in the glider's actual performance.
If the blue needle consistently indicates a higher value than the red needle, there may be room to improve thermalling efficiency. For example, better turn coordination and reduced sideslip may help. Do not chase every short-term fluctuation. Look for consistent trends.
Make gradual adjustments to bank angle, airspeed and position within the thermal. Evaluate the results together with conventional flight information, appropriate airspeed and the view outside the cockpit. HAWK is an additional aid, not an instruction to make abrupt control inputs.
Basic Setup: LX9000, S100 and SxHAWK
First, make sure HAWK is activated on your instrument and that the hardware configuration supports it. On the LX9000, HAWK availability depends on the instrument generation and the compatible variometer unit. The S100 supports HAWK as an optional software feature, while the SxHAWK is specifically designed around HAWK technology.
| Instrument | Recommended Setup |
|---|---|
| LX9000 | In Setup → Vario Parameters, enable HAWK and configure Wind Variance and averaging. Under Graphics / Indicator, select the HAWK and TE needle display. The audio source can be selected according to personal preference. Align the AHRS using Hardware → AHRS. |
| S10/100 | Enable the licensed HAWK function in the variometer settings. Check Wind Variance and averaging parameters. Before using HAWK, verify the correct sensor orientation and AHRS alignment according to the manual for your S100. |
| SxHAWK | Under Setup → Vario Parameters, verify that HAWK is enabled. Check Wind Variance and averaging settings. Activate the dual-needle display and verify the correct AHRS alignment. |
These are useful starting values based on LXNAV documentation, not necessarily the optimum settings for every pilot or flying condition.
Menu names and locations may vary depending on firmware version and hardware configuration. Always follow the current manual for your specific instrument when calibrating the sensor and AHRS.
What HAWK Cannot Do
HAWK uses mathematical estimation rather than directly measuring the air movement at every point around the glider. Correct installation and calibration are essential. Its indications do not replace safe airspeed, coordinated flying or situational awareness. When adjusting parameters, avoid extreme values: excessively low Wind Variance may suppress useful changes, while excessively high values can make the display unstable or noisy.
Interested in HAWK for Your Glider?
Tell us which instruments you currently use and describe your cockpit configuration. We can help you check compatibility, identify the required software licence or choose a suitable HAWK-equipped instrument.
Get Expert Advice ↗Sources: LXNAV – HAWK Technical Article , LX9000 Documentation , S100 Documentation and SxHAWK Documentation . This article is a simplified explanation and does not replace the manufacturer's operating manual.