Quote:
Originally Posted by
The death toll doesn't match your hyperbole
In your article on "Launch Emergencies" you state that the odds are
50/50 of something going bad on each launch. Either it will or it
wont. Experiencing something go bad on a launch such as what happened to
me will convince any tow pilot of the imperative need to have a positive
and unfettered chance to release the glider. As you said, the Tost
release mechanism is not affected by vertical or horizontal loads
imposed by a glider flying in an out of bounds towing position. Clearly
the Scnweizer hook is affected by such conditions rendering it useless.
In a low, severe kiting incident such as mine the tow pilot must
react in an instant. Anything that delays that reaction can result in a
catastrophy. Relying on the rope to break under such circumstances is
not a good alternative to a positive release mechanism. Any commercial
operator or club still operating with a Schweizer hook and/or a release
handle not conveniently available to the pilot is playing Russian
roulette with the life of their tow pilot.
Walt
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Walt Connelly
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"The death toll doesn't match my hyperbole?" How many deaths would it take to convince you GREGG? I was a second or two from being one of them but I am alive and letting it be known that this system does NOT work under severe circumstances as the FAA and SSA well know.
I have identified enough deaths clearly attributable to this malfunction to make my case. As I have noted time and time again the SSA and the FAA in their publications and Advisory Circulars clearly indicate (the SSA indication is in RED) that under certain conditions the release may not work. It is exactly under those conditions when it needs to work the most and if it doesn't the result can be fatal. I was there, within a second or two of hitting the ground when the rope broke, not something one can count on every time an idiot kites on you at low altitude.
My recommendations will address proper position of release handles, increasing mechanical advantage of these handles and at a minimum, inverting the Schweizer hook for which there is an STC or installing Tost releases on tow planes expected to tow gliders that exceed 1500 lbs maximum gross weight. It is my understanding that these glider exceed the limits of the Schweizer hook regardless of their installation.
I can listen to all the weak, anectdotal comments about how "a Schweizer hook saved my uncle Bill." That's what it's supposed to do but when it does what it's NOT supposed to do, FAIL, there is a problem that needs to be addressed. I can listen to "I have 30K hours flying and I always knew where the release was." I know where it was too, do you think I'm that big an idiot? Or "you are waiting too long to pull the release." Obviously this comment is from someone who has NOT experienced an instantaneous kiting situation. Not all kiting situations are slowly evolving ones that you can see begin in the mirror, they can be sudden and severe and any thing that delays the chances of release from the towplane need to be fixed. Need I go on?
Walt