Final glide

[ppp1]

Fellow aviator Ilmari Rintasalo flew his last flight on Christmas eve
in Corowa. Hitting the powerlines after take of with his ASW-22BLE.
RIP.

[cernauta]

On Mon, 27 Dec 2010 14:28:49 -0800 (PST), ppp1
> wrote:

>Fellow aviator Ilmari Rintasalo flew his last flight on Christmas eve
>in Corowa. Hitting the powerlines after take of with his ASW-22BLE.
>RIP.

http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/local/news/general/crash-kills-glider-pilot/2034360.aspx

[cernauta]

On Wed, 29 Dec 2010 02:49:09 +0100, cernauta > wrote:

>http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/local/news/general/crash-kills-glider-pilot/2034360.aspx

It seems that the accident was the consequence of airbrakes unlocked.
The ASW22 pilot was performing a self-launch. Climb rate was
insufficient, and a wing tip hit a powerline.
The glider came to rest inverted, while Hi-T cables were lying by,
delaying the rescue of the poor pilot by nearly an hour.

Local pilots, under the initiative of spanish Pepe Gresa, I believe,
started an action to put some pressure on glider manufacturers, so
that they develop and implement some system to make these frequent
take-off mistakes a non-event. We should all strongly support this
initiative.

Karel Termaat imagined a very simple 3-Led warning system, based
around 2 proximity swithces and one pressure switch on the Ptot line.
http://home.wxs.nl/~kpt9/gear.htm

The Piggott Hook also can help prevent the airbrakes being sucked open
at take off.

aldo cernezzi
-
www.voloavela.it
the italian gliding magazine

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

On 1/5/2011 9:35 AM, cernauta wrote:
> On Wed, 29 Dec 2010 02:49:09 +0100, > wrote:
>
>> http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/local/news/general/crash-kills-glider-pilot/2034360.aspx
>
> It seems that the accident was the consequence of airbrakes unlocked.
> The ASW22 pilot was performing a self-launch. Climb rate was
> insufficient, and a wing tip hit a powerline.
> The glider came to rest inverted, while Hi-T cables were lying by,
> delaying the rescue of the poor pilot by nearly an hour.
>
> Local pilots, under the initiative of spanish Pepe Gresa, I believe,
> started an action to put some pressure on glider manufacturers, so
> that they develop and implement some system to make these frequent
> take-off mistakes a non-event. We should all strongly support this
> initiative.
>
> Karel Termaat imagined a very simple 3-Led warning system, based
> around 2 proximity swithces and one pressure switch on the Ptot line.
> http://home.wxs.nl/~kpt9/gear.htm
>
> The Piggott Hook also can help prevent the airbrakes being sucked open
> at take off.

The 302 vario, and perhaps others, can do the same thing, if it is used
as the gear warning system. A loud tone alerts the pilot as the glider
accelerates past 25 knots if the airbrakes are unlocked. It works well
in my glider.

Additionally, a simple stop just behind the spoiler handle acts as a
Piggot hook. The stop is out of the way when the handle is rotated into
operating position.

And finally, my procedure to always lock the air brakes unless my hand
is on the handle, even if the glider is on the ground and I am not in
the cockpit.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

[Andy[_1_]]

On Jan 5, 2:42*pm, Eric Greenwell > wrote:

> The 302 vario, and perhaps others, can do the same thing, if it is used
> as the gear warning system. A loud tone alerts the pilot as the glider
> accelerates past 25 knots if the airbrakes are unlocked. It works well
> in my glider.

Yes the 302 airbrake warning works well, perhaps just a bit too well.
I'd like the trigger speed to be about 5kts higher so it doesn't go
off quite so often on takeoff. (Std class glider with airbrakes part
open for every launch).

A better thread title may be "avoiding unintended airbrake opening
during launch".

Andy

[John Cochrane[_2_]]

Easier: Always take off with brake half open. This give you better
aileron control on takeoff. On a schleicher glider, you want the brake
open as the towplane takes out slack to have the wheel brake on so you
don't over run. Cycle the brakes a few times to show the tow pilot you
now what you're doing. Just leave your left and hand on the airbrake,
and close when you have aileron control (then move to flap handel).
It's really hard to forget a handle that is in your left hand!

John Cochrane

[Darryl Ramm]

On Jan 5, 2:57*pm, John Cochrane >
wrote:
> Easier: Always take off with brake half open. This give you better
> aileron control on takeoff. On a schleicher glider, you want the brake
> open as the towplane takes out slack to have the wheel brake on so you
> don't over run. Cycle the brakes a few times to show the tow pilot you
> now what you're doing. Just leave your left and hand on the airbrake,
> and close when you have aileron control (then move to flap handel).
> It's really hard to forget a handle that is in your left hand!
>
> John Cochrane

With the 26E motorglider that Eric (and I) fly your hands are a bit
too busy to jockey the spoiler and throttle. Although its possible to
do many pilots would prefer their left hand on the throttle only at
take off. But first reaction to a poor climb needs be check
spoilers....

Darryl

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

On 1/5/2011 2:57 PM, John Cochrane wrote:
> Easier: Always take off with brake half open. This give you better
> aileron control on takeoff. On a schleicher glider, you want the brake
> open as the towplane takes out slack to have the wheel brake on so you
> don't over run. Cycle the brakes a few times to show the tow pilot you
> now what you're doing. Just leave your left and hand on the airbrake,
> and close when you have aileron control (then move to flap handel).
> It's really hard to forget a handle that is in your left hand!

John's procedure is exactly what I always used with my ASW 20C for many
years, and it did work out very well, just as he says. There were never
any problems caused by the procedure, and it sure solved some!

As Darryl points out, the situation is different in a motorglider. Since
many of us have the spoilers open to control the wheel brake while
taxiing, I used to think it wasn't possible to forget to lock them. I
changed my mind after hearing of a few close calls and at least one
accident. No one seems know how it happened (more distractions in the
cockpit than a tow?), but they did not lock the spoilers before
beginning the launch. That was when I went to the 302 alert, the simple
spoiler handle block, and the "always closed unless my hand is on it"
procedure.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

[JJ Sinclair[_2_]]

On Dec 27 2010, 2:28*pm, ppp1 >
wrote:
> Fellow aviator Ilmari Rintasalo flew his last flight on Christmas eve
> in Corowa. Hitting the powerlines after take of with his ASW-22BLE.
> RIP.

I do a quick check of the spoilers at 1000 feet as I raise the gear,
just swing my head left and right to make sure there isn't anything
sticking out of the wing. Locked spoilers have been known to pop open.
They should have a noticeable over-center clicking action as several
pounds of force is applied in closing. If your ship doesn't, have them
checked.
JJ