On Saturday, December 15, 2012 7:07:37 AM UTC-8, JJ Sinclair wrote:


JJ, think "Doughnut Dolly"... ;^)

SNIPPED

She has been known to engage in ramp sex..............you know where you stand nose to nose and scream FUC* YOU at each other!



:) JJ

Oh My Gosh.
After all these years, I just discovered I have had sex in public!
Eeeekk.

I have given many lessons in tail dolly installation ( and removal) for
new owners of gliders. Lots of tips are available.
Leave your chute in the cockpit leaned forward, or drape it over the nosecone (non-sentient nose ballast)being careful of no loose buckles or canopy scraping.
Cockpit water containers or landout kits can be placed forward momentarily for this reconfiguration of ground handling equipment. Every bit of ballast helps.

Facing aft and straddling the boom, hold dolly handle in right hand and wheel in a perpendicular manner with your left. Set/fit top half over boom and fit to fin, leave open wheel-half resting on hinge line on the ground. Use linked hands forward of dolly to lift boom while sliding feet crossed or Very Close under boom, resting boom on pinched together calves. Dolly will rotate under boom by itself. Leave left hand underneath -- bringing lower half across, and use right hand to catch up a clasp or fidget dolly into snugging position. Take all that weight on your LEGS, not with your arms. If you have bad back history, use a short strap under the boom, and use your legs for the lift and pinch. (This strap might also be useful for fuselage transfers into and out of trailers.)

After latching clasps, you can allow glider to slide down your calves, or grasp
hands under again to set tail on ground.

For taller tail gliders, a friend to place palms under the horizontal, IMMEDIATELY adjacent to the vertical (not outboard) and hoist upwards close to the leading edge, while the pilot places a dolly can be a BIG service, if you gentlemen wish to avoid the Doughnut Dolly problem. Often there is someone more readily available aft of your gridding position.

But an aft-facing buddy perched on the side rail of your cockpit, near the panel rather than the turtledeck, is the best bet for monitoring the teeter-totter cooperation of taildolly installs and removals. Said buddy should be encouraged to have a hand lightly protecting/monitoring that open canopy during the job, with a grip on the frame only. The pilot/installer can direct the weight transfer audibly for install or removal by asking for weight or unloading.

A canopy rail percher is less likely to place hands on your valuable plexi,and make an inadvertent crack or scratches. There is less likelihood of them 'slipping off' or losing grip while trying to provide the counterbalance.. There is less likelihood of forcing cracking on the center seam due to 'unexpected' loads.

It may now be winter, but I have seen plenty of wave lift markers out my kitchen window these last few weeks. Whew. Headed for summer again.

Merry Christmas,
Cindy B