just as long as it did not back release... "ouch"

"CH" wrote in message
...
WGC 1995 in Omarama NZ

the ASW24 started behind a Hughes 500 in low tow
accelerating to 120km/h
after reaching a height of approximately 500m AGL
the helicopter transited into vertical climb and the
ASW-24 just hanged on its Tost hook (attached to
the main wheel) upside down.
The glider pilot then released and came to safe airspeed
as if he would have lost speed just short of topping
a loop.

PS: the guys checked with Gerhard Waibel (the designer
of the Schleicher glider, if it would be safe to strain the
towing hook and the airframe in that way.

Chris



"Jim Culp" wrote in message
...


Who gives or knows of glider aerotows with choppers
in US ? or elsewhere ?

Where & contact info ?
Price for 2000ft tow ?

I saw it done by helicopter at Williston Florida (near
Gainesville) at airshow April 2003. Nice job, well
done.

The chopper was the tug aircraft for the glider;
taking it to 6000ft for start of glider aerobatic
routine.

No problemo.

Think the helicopter was a Bell47. Not sure. Anyway,
I thing I recall it was piston engined.

Yes, after vertical liftoff helicopter did rotate forward,
for forward propulsion lifting its tailboom, to keep
the tail rotor blades out of the towrope. Not a job
for an inattentive helicopter pilot.

Well, Ok ,,,,would you launch your glider by helicopter
aerotow ?

Here's a another query, for regulatory pundits:


Can a helicopter pilot be qualified for glider aerotow
with helicopter by aerotowing in airplane (assuming
he is airplane rated) ?

Or must his aerotow qualification in airplane be limited
to Airplane only ?

My thought is that since noone writing the rule requirements
in US ever conceived of helicopter aerotows of gliders
then there is nothing to prevent an airplane aerotow
qualification from being inclusive of and transferable
to launching a glider with any type powered aircraft.


Thus, if a blimp pilot had an aerotow qualification
gained in an airplane, and wth a blimp he wanted to
aerotow or gravity launch a glider, then he might do
so. He would be compliant with requlations. Yes
or no ?

Seems to me, for gravity launch of a glider suspended
suitably from a blimp or dirigible there would be no
launch capability requirement of the lighter than air
pilot .

The pilot of the lighter than air craft might only
need only his pilot certificate privileges in the lighter
than air craft (blimp or dirigible)
to do the feat.

Launching of glider by a lighter than air craft would
not be new.

The blimp pilot would not be the first to launch a
glider, as this was done for the glider pilot (USN)
Lt. Ralph S. Barnaby in 1930 at Lakehurst New Jersey
with the glider released at 3000ft. It was a successfully
done feat.

Dancing on clouds,

Keep it up!

Jim Culp USA
GatorCity, Florida
Std Libelle