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Old December 27th 10, 02:28 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Andy[_1_]
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Posts: 1,565
Default A new experience

I've been towing for quite a few years but had a new experience today.
I was towing a pilot new to the Std Cirrus, and who had never towed on
a CG hook before. I expected an "interesting" ride, but he did fine.
That is until release time. I looked in the mirror to see him pull up
into a hard right turn and thought, there's something wrong here!
Sure enough I looked over my shoulder to see the belly if the Cirrus
and the rope still attached.

I called "release, release, release", as the tail of the Pawnee was
pulled up. The rope back released off the CG hook before the upset
became too significant.

Before I started the launch I had said to him "If you lose sight of
the tow plane you will release". I didn't even think about that after
we had safely climbed the first 500 feet.

As you can image we spoke on the ground about visually verifying rope
release.

Andy