On Oct 15, 5:43*pm, BobW wrote:
How could anyone use a 200' tow rope on an automobile launch on a 2,500 strip and
hope to have ANY leeway to recover from ANY deviation from
perfection?

Indeed...and those deviations will all occur more quickly in time as the rope
shortens, whether on an aerotow or ground launch, as any kid who has ever
launched a kite would be likely to know.

Sadly,
Bob W.

I have many times launched with a 200' rope on a 1500 foot runway
(Torrey Pines) - but I was not attempting to climb! - only to get 50
feet off the ground and make it to the cliff edge on a blowing day; no
problem. (I have also launched with 1500' rope on a mile-long dry
lake; also fine)
If he attempted to climb, he would immediately find himself at an
extremely high angle of attack - the glider is not in free flight but
is subject to the force along the rope, which, with a short rope, will
very rapidly be at a very large angle to the glider's attitude.
Perhaps when we see the video from the helicopter we will understand
exactly what happened.