small correction, I wasn't suggesting yawing the airplane to slow it
down and take out the slack. What I was saying is if you move off to
the side when the slack comes out it will automatically yaw the
towplane and a nose hook equipped glider. No timing required just stay
out to the side.

Brian


(Mark James Boyd) wrote in message news:3fd0d41d$1@darkstar...
A lot of different techniques - little consensus

Bruce - Hi to slow and get slack out, then match speeds by diving
Brian - Yaw to reduce snappiness when line comes taut
Janusz - Shorter rope so tug and glider are in the same air
Michel - Low tow and avoid slack line

Although Bruce's approach is most elegant, I think it
also requires the most skill and best timing. Matching
airspeeds is challenging.

Brian's approach is pretty standard, but also requires a
little bit of timing. I'd also be surprised if he
isn't subtly using a little bit of dive at the end
to help match airspeeds.

Janusz and his 20 meter rope leaves me speechless.
I'd have to try it to have any real opinion.

Michel's low tow seems like a low-skill winner.
As long as you don't get too low and scare the towpilot
into releasing it seems you'll do ok.

Not mentioned is the use of spoilers. I've noticed
one ranked pilot who flies a slick glider sometimes with
ballast uses slight spoiler adjustment to regulate slack line.

Any rotor towpilots have any further opinions?