On Sep 7, 9:05 pm, ZZ wrote:
It is likely that the probability of an ACTUAL double release failure on
tow is what ever positive number is closest to zero. Of course that
doesn't mean that Mr.Murphy can't serve one of these up.

I would be interested in hearing any accounts of actual, non-instructor
induced double release failures which required either a landing on tow
or purposely breaking he rope to end the problem.

I would also be interested in any opinions regarding practicing landing
on tow to prepare oneself for this unlikely event. (I know that this is
or was a required maneuver in some European countries...but is it worth
the risk?)

Paul
ZZ

OK, I've got two True Stories, although I was not a pilot involved in
either
case.

In the first, an experienced pilot came back from a flight and said
he'd had
a double release failure. He said that he just put a lot of slack in
the rope and
broke it. No big deal.

In the second, an instructor at my current club tried to simulate this
situation
and tried to land on tow. During descent the towplane got too far
below the
glider while they were low and a long ways from the airport. When the
rope
broke from the excessive slack generated by the situation this fellow
had
no option except for landing in a farmer's field. We had no
functional
trailer for the L13, either, so the retrieve was quite interesting.

Personally, I've been flying gliders for over 20 years and have yet to
personally
experience a failure of the release or rope. I did witness another
glider have a
rope "break" (actually his tow hook came unhooked) at low altitude and
make
a successful return to the launch point though.