John, I have deep respect for your views on many subjects, but here you are just plain wrong. *All the "issues" you raise above are precisely why this first 'flight' should be a "crow hop". *There is exactly zero chance of the pilot getting hurt and virtually no chance of dinging the glider. *But, there is an excellent chance of uncovering problems which could prove fatal if an aero tow is attempted.

Despite it being done tens of thousands of time in the whole history of gliding, I don't think there is a single incidence of pilot injury from a minimum energy "crow hop". *I have it on excellent authority that no ground launch sign off is needed for a "crow hop" since it really isn't a launch of any kind - just the glider equivalent of taxi tests.

What I find revealing in the hand wringing is an apparent terror of takeoff rolls and landings rolls which is all a "crow hop" is. Maybe you folks need more practice. *Go do some "crow hops" and get back to us.

I have no problem with "crow hops" per se. I'm just applying the
principle of "do one new thing per flight." Add up the number of
"firsts" on this proposed flight. You need two hands.

John Cochrane