Contest towing with retract tow line

[Andy[_1_]]

In Mal's 2006 photos is a picture of Pawnee VH-CUR that appears to have
a Tost retractable tow rope.

Does anyone have experience with contest towing with the retract rope?
Is it possible to fit into the normal tug rotation with a retract rope,
or is the rope left extended for contest towing.

Andy

[[email protected]]

Having run many contests in the U.S., it has been my experience that
they fit in the rotation just fine. Although most of our tugs feature
the retractable rope, most contests are run with a mixture of tow rope
systems.

Andy wrote:
> In Mal's 2006 photos is a picture of Pawnee VH-CUR that appears to have
> a Tost retractable tow rope.
>
> Does anyone have experience with contest towing with the retract rope?
> Is it possible to fit into the normal tug rotation with a retract rope,
> or is the rope left extended for contest towing.
>
> Andy

[Robert Danewid]

During the WGC in Sweden last summer we used 12 Pawnees with
tow rope winches. The rope is winched in after release and
such a winch is more or less standard on Swedish tugs.

/Robert
CD WGC2006


Andy skrev:
> In Mal's 2006 photos is a picture of Pawnee VH-CUR that appears to have
> a Tost retractable tow rope.
>
> Does anyone have experience with contest towing with the retract rope?
> Is it possible to fit into the normal tug rotation with a retract rope,
> or is the rope left extended for contest towing.
>
> Andy
>

[BT]

for those that are un-intiatated..
the tow rope is retracted before landing
saves wear and tear on the rope or snagging runway lights
just taxi up closer to the glider, the line crew pulls the rope out and
hooks up
then taxi forward until the entire rope is out before take off

BT

"Andy" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> In Mal's 2006 photos is a picture of Pawnee VH-CUR that appears to have
> a Tost retractable tow rope.
>
> Does anyone have experience with contest towing with the retract rope?
> Is it possible to fit into the normal tug rotation with a retract rope,
> or is the rope left extended for contest towing.
>
> Andy
>

[Mal]

"BT" > wrote in message
...
> for those that are un-intiatated..
> the tow rope is retracted before landing
> saves wear and tear on the rope or snagging runway lights
> just taxi up closer to the glider, the line crew pulls the rope out and
> hooks up
> then taxi forward until the entire rope is out before take off
>
> BT
>
> "Andy" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> In Mal's 2006 photos is a picture of Pawnee VH-CUR that appears to have
>> a Tost retractable tow rope.
>>
>> Does anyone have experience with contest towing with the retract rope?
>> Is it possible to fit into the normal tug rotation with a retract rope,
>> or is the rope left extended for contest towing.
>>
>> Andy
>>
>
>

http://www.mals.net/nswcomps2006/pages/DSC01883.htm

I did have a close up of the tow hook set up but it has gone to delete land
some how it was deleted it from the camera.

During the state comps and cup week they used a normal tow rope the aircraft
has both set ups on board.

VH:CUR Experimental runs on unleaded it is a Holden commodore car engine.

http://www.mals.net/nswcomps2006/pages/DSC01885.htm

Did you spot the Jabiru J230 with a tow hook
http://www.mals.net/ncw06/pics1/

Not this aircraft but another has done tows.

[Bill Daniels]

"BT" > wrote in message
...
> for those that are un-intiatated..
> the tow rope is retracted before landing
> saves wear and tear on the rope or snagging runway lights
> just taxi up closer to the glider, the line crew pulls the rope out and
> hooks up
> then taxi forward until the entire rope is out before take off

Please, don't taxi up close to the glider. Be courteous and don't direct
prop blast at gliders or people. I've had canopies slammed down on my
fiingers and passengers heads. I've had to go to an eye doctor twice to get
grit removed from my corneas. Towplane prop blast is absolutely the
nastiest part of this sport.

Just taxi into position 190 feet or so ahead of the glider, It's a lot
better to have someone walk a few hunderd feet to get the rope than use a
$140/hour Pawnee to position it.

Bill Daniels

[Andy[_1_]]

wrote:
> Having run many contests in the U.S., it has been my experience that
> they fit in the rotation just fine. Although most of our tugs feature
> the retractable rope, most contests are run with a mixture of tow rope
> systems.

Can you give some more detail on how the launch line is worked with a
mix of tow systems. I've only towed and been towed with non retract
ropes at contests. Does a tug with a retracted rope taxi the same path
in front the gliders? Do the line crews have to know which tugs have
retracted ropes and plan ahead to retrieve them in a different way?


Andy

[BT]

"Bill Daniels" <bildan@comcast-dot-net> wrote in message
. ..
>
> "BT" > wrote in message
> ...
>> for those that are un-intiatated..
>> the tow rope is retracted before landing
>> saves wear and tear on the rope or snagging runway lights
>> just taxi up closer to the glider, the line crew pulls the rope out and
>> hooks up
>> then taxi forward until the entire rope is out before take off
>
> Please, don't taxi up close to the glider. Be courteous and don't direct
> prop blast at gliders or people. I've had canopies slammed down on my
> fiingers and passengers heads. I've had to go to an eye doctor twice to
> get grit removed from my corneas. Towplane prop blast is absolutely the
> nastiest part of this sport.
>
> Just taxi into position 190 feet or so ahead of the glider, It's a lot
> better to have someone walk a few hunderd feet to get the rope than use a
> $140/hour Pawnee to position it.
>
> Bill Daniels

True Bill... I should have changed out that was stated.. when we "taxi
close" the prop wash is always directed off to the side.. never at the
glider or ground crew.. we also taxi no closer than on average about 50ft.

Bill