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Old November 12th 13, 05:22 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
son_of_flubber
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Default Aerotow ropes: short or long, breakable or unbreakable?

With the dewpoint at 15d F. today, I'm ready to heat things up.

Regulations on aerotow ropes vary by region. What is the evidence to support the various approaches?

PTT (Premature Termination of Tow)(aka rope break) correlates with a number of fatal accidents. How often has a hard_to_break towrope led to a fatal accident?

Options to land after a PTT vary by airport and can be non-existent at certain altitudes. Why is an extra strong towrope not an option where the straight-ahead landing option is poor or non-existent?

In what year did the FAA set the FAR for towropes and what was the quality of towropes at that time? (obscure, but interesting question).

At the airport where I am towed, the same towrope satisfies the FAR for both the frequently towed heavier two-seater, and my less frequently towed lighter weight single place glider. Does this mean that the two-place is more likely to break the towrope?